The impact of the exotic pet trade on wild populations. Exotic pets that escape or are released can become invasive species and harm native wildlife and biodiversity. At the same time, rare animals are often worth more money, making the most endangered species the most sought after. Despite claims of captive breeding, most animals in the exotic pet trade are taken directly from the wild, as many suppliers lack the expertise to breed them successfully. As demand for exotic pets grows, more animals are removed from their natural habitats, causing wild populations to decline and putting species at even greater risk.

The impact of the exotic pet trade on the human owner. Wild animals keep their natural defence behaviours and can bite, sting or seriously injure people. Capturing or keeping exotic pets also increases close contact with wildlife, raising the risk of diseases spreading from animals to humans. Many exotic pets are sold online through unregulated platforms, where buyers can be scammed by sellers who never deliver the animal. On top of this, people often don’t fully understand the animal they are buying—some grow much larger, need specialised care or cost far more time and money than expected.

The impact of the exotic pet trade on the 'pet' animal. When wild animals are kept in unsuitable conditions, they can become stressed—for example, social species kept alone or nocturnal animals exposed to bright light during the day. Many exotic pets are transported in poor conditions and many do not survive the journey. Once sold, few vets will treat exotic animals, meaning sick pets may not get the care they need. In some cases, animals are even subjected to painful procedures to make them less dangerous to humans, such as slow lorises having their teeth removed to prevent venomous bites.

www.sharesavvy.org

Did you just come across a “cute” pet meerkat video and feel tempted to share it? 🔴 Please don’t! 🔴 Sharing this content helps normalise the exotic pet trade and keeps it going, affecting wildlife, ecosystems and people around the world.

Follow for more: www.sharesavvy.org #ShareSavvy

Did you know...? Sharing inappropriate content of wild animals normalises inappropriate human/wildlife interactions. One study (Van de Meer et al. 2019) shows that when wild cat species were protrayed interacting with humans in images, people's desire to engage in such interactions increased and made people more than twice as likely to perceive wild cats as suitable for close contact interactions. Share with care. #sharesavvy

Did you know...? Endangered species feature heavily on social media. In a cample (SMACC Spotlight Report, 2022) of 840 videos depicting pet wild animals, 65% were of animals which the IUCN has listed as 'endangered'. Share with care. #sharesavvy

Did you know...? Exotic pets can be very challenging to look after, which can lead to them being abandoned by their owners. In the UK alone, in 2021, the RSPCA received 38,087 reports of abandonment. Of these, more than 3,600 of them were exotic pets, including snakes, fish, reptiles and birds. Share with care. #sharesavvy

Did you know...? Getting too close to wild animals to take photos can be disruptive. A study (Pérez Tadeo, Gammell amd O'Brien, 2021) found that seals were less likely to rest on beaches in areas with lots of tourists present. Adult seals not returning to beaches can result in pups being abandoned. Share with care. #sharesavvy

Inappropriate animal content online can cause real harm to wildlife. So before you tap “share,” take a moment to think. Let’s be more #ShareSavvy.

These slides are inspired by the original work of the amazing team behind the sharesavvy.org campaign. Follow them for more!

What makes them wild? Do you know the difference between a wild animal and a domesticated animal? Swipe through the following photos and decide if you think they are wild or domesticated using these definitions to help you. Domesticated: Animals that have evolved over a long time to live alongside humans. This happens when humans choose animals with desirable traits for breeding. They can be domesticated for companionship, food or to do jobs for us. Their internal make-up is different from their wild counterparts. Wild: Animals that remain in their genetically natural state. They may be living in a zoo or in their natural habitat. Their internal make-up has not been changed by humans. Individual wild animals can be tame when forced to live with humans, but their instincts remain wild. Think you've got it? Answers on the last slide!

What makes them wild? Number 1, photo of a domestic rabbit. Number 2, photo of a meerkat in a zoo habitat.

What makes them wild? Number 3, photo of a donkey. Number 4, photo of a macaw in a zoo habitat. Number 5, photo of a golden lion tamarin in a zoo habitat.

What makes them wild? Answers: 1, rabbit, domesticated. 2, meerkat, wild. 3, donkey, domesticated. 4, macaw, wild. 5, tamatin, wild. Identifying wild animals can be helpful when deciding what to share on social media. #ShareSavvy

Do you know the difference between wild and domesticated animals? 🐾 Test yourself with this #ShareSavvy game!
Remember: what we share online matters. Our posts can shape behaviour worldwide and even harm wildlife and biodiversity.

#sharewithcare #wildanimalsarenotpets

Photo: Close-up of a pygmy slow loris in a zoo habitat. Species listed as Endangered by the IUCN. Text: Did you know...? Slow lorises have their teeth cut out with nail clippers or pliers, without any anaesthetic, to make them easier to handle and to prvent their venomous bite. This frequently causes severe infections and death.

Photo: Close-up of an Asian small-clawed otter in a zoo habitat. Species listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Text: Did you know...? It is thought that the leading cause of decline in the Asian small-clawed otter is poaching for the illegal wildlife trade, where the animals are captured to be sold as exotic pets.

Photo: A golden lion tamarin in a zoo habitat. Species listed as Endangered by the IUCN. Text: Did you know...? Tamarins suffer greatly in captivity as pets, since their complex social, environmental and dietary needs cannot be met, often resulting in physical illness, lifelong psychological issues and serious behavioural problems.

Please always think before sharing. You might be unintentionally harming wildlife.

These slides are part of, and inspired by, the #ShareSavvy campaign created by the team at Battersea Park Children's Zoo, sharesavvy.org

#sharewithcare #responsiblesocialmediause #animals

Photo: Two yellow-breasted capuchins in a zoo habitat. Species listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Text: Did you know...? Capuchin monkeys are dependent on their mothers for up to four years, so baby monkeys sold on the internet have been removed from their parents early, causing lifelong behavioural and physical issues.

Photo: Two blue-and-yellow macaws in a zoo habitat. Species listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Text: Did you know...? Blue-and-yellow macaws are among the most heavily trafficked parrots in the wild, targeted for their vibrant plumage and ability to mimic human speech. As a result, their populations continue to decline.

Photo: A capybara baby in a zoo habitat. Species listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Text: Did you know...? Wild animal cafés are becoming more prevalent, resulting in animals such as otters, capybaras and owls being kept in environments where they experience restricted space, unsolicited interactions and improper lighting conditions.

Did you know that, as social media users, we have a responsibility for what we share? Every post can influence people across the world, and this influence can lead to harmful consequences, including fueling animal cruelty and threatening biodiversity.

#sharesavvy #thinkbeforesharing #sharewithcare

Can you spot a red flag when scrolling through social media? Which of the following do you think could indicate a post should NOT be shared? A. Wild animal wearing human clothes, B. Wild animal being cuddled by a human, C. Wild animal sleeping, D. Wild animal catching prey, E. Wild animal in someone's home, F. Wild animal eating human food.

If you see a post containing any red flag, do not like, comment or share! Answers: A. Wild animal wearing human clothes IS A RED FLAG, B. Wild animal being cuddled by a human IS A RED FLAG, C. Wild animal sleeping IS NOT A RED FLAG, D. Wild animal catching prey IS NOT A RED FLAG, E. Wild animal in someone's home IS A RED FLAG, F. Wild animal eating human food IS A RED FLAG.

🚩 Can you spot a RED FLAG? 🚩 That “cute” wild animal video might not be harmless. Some posts glamorise exotic pets & fuel the illegal wildlife trade 🐾 Take our mini-challenge ✨ If you see a red flag, don’t like, comment or share! 💚 Be #ShareSavvy!

#wildlife #notapet #responsiblesocialmediause

#ShareSavvy flowchart to help you identify social media content which can be harmful to wildlife.

Should you share that "cute" animal photo or video? Use this #flowchart originally developed by #ShareSavvy to find out! Everything you share on social media can influence others' behaviour and life choices. Let's stop glamorising exotic pet ownership and fuelling illegal #wildlife trade.

Right now, the zoo is campaigning to raise awareness of the damaging impact social media can have on conservation efforts. Check out their #ShareSavvy campaign for more.

Photo montage of a hand holding a photo taking a photo of an otter pup in a zoo.

Are you #ShareSavvy? With 5.24B+ social media users worldwide, what we post matters. Some content can glamourise exotic pets or fuel the illegal wildlife trade. We'll soon share tips to help you spot harmful posts. Stay tuned! Thanks for the inspiring initiative, #BatterseaZoo 💚 www.sharesavvy.org

#ShareSavvy Discover how social media can negatively affect animal welfare and help the illegal wildlife trade. With our help you can become a little bit more #ShareSavvy.

Thank you to everyone who took part! We’re proud to support the ShareSavvy.org campaign and will be sharing more tips and information on being #ShareSavvy across our social platforms soon. Stay tuned!