Import of Exotic Species

These animals are a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. In the past decade, a Bengal tiger tore the arm off of a four year old boy, and a lion trapped a boy in his room and killed him. There have also been hundreds of other reported attacks and incidences.
             Another aspect of this issue is the problem with disease control. When imported, most animals show absolutely no sign of disease, but most carry serious diseases that are contagious and even fatal. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) stated that 90% of all reptiles carry and shed salmonella. The carriers of the bacteria show no symptoms, therefore there is no simple way to tell which reptiles play host to the microbe and which do not. The CDC estimated that 93,000 salmonella cases caused by the exposure to reptiles are reported each year in the US. Many monkeys also carry humanly fatal diseases. For instance, 80-90% of all macaque monkeys are infected with Herpes-B virus which is harmless to the monkey but lethal to 70% of humans that contract it. In the past few years there have been Monkey Pox outbreaks due to the importation of prarie dogs to different parts of the US. Some other diseases that many exotic animals carry are Rabies (wolves, exotic felines, bears) and Ebola (carried by most non-human primate). .
             Although the importation of exotic animals is harmful, and often fatal to humans, the conditions that the actual animal is faced with are much much less inhumane and heartless. Although it is now illegal to import exotic animals in to the US without a permit, only about 25% of importers actually have their luggage checked. There have been instances where parrots have had their beaks and feet taped and then shoved into plastic tubes for nice and convenient transportation in suitcases. Dozens of baby turtles have been stuffed in tube socks and infants snakes shipped in CD cases. The usual mortality rate is 80-90%. There was one incident in particular where frogs that were being smuggled into California from Camaroon their skin absorbed their own waste and they were poisoned to death.