The circus explains how it came about
After the SEK mission in Neukölln it is clear: It was actually a protected animal. But what is actually forbidden with exotic species and what is advisable?
imago/Steffen Schellhorn
Photos with a young tiger have made headlines. “Tiger baby at clan wedding” was the headline in many newspapers on Wednesday. At a Family celebration of a Berlin clan of Arabic origin apparently photos were taken showing people with a tiger cub. Family members posted the photos online. A film shows a small tiger running out of a gray box. But what is actually forbidden in exotic species? What is advisable?
In any case, the responsible Neukölln veterinary office even welcomed him with the support of SEK people. The reason is on the Senate’s website: “Dangerous animals of wild species may not be kept by private individuals in Berlin, whether in the apartment or elsewhere. For example, great apes, big cats, armored lizards, poisonous snakes, poisonous spiders and scorpions fall into this category.”
The police operation was also justified by the fact that there was a potential danger to public safety. The animal could have escaped from the family’s villa property. When the police arrived, the tiger was long gone. Family members tell police they hired the animal from a circus.
A spokesman for the Berolina circus told the Berliner Zeitung that everything had gone according to plan. “The animal comes from our own offspring,” said the spokesman. “Everything went right.” It is not a tiger cub, but a cub of almost one year. “You can and should display such animals. We have the appropriate permits for this.” Such demonstrations or pats can also be booked with private individuals. “It happened here,” he said. However, the circus did not ask what the private individual did for a living. And such an appearance was not the first time either. “Our animals have also been part of TV productions by ARD and ZDF.”
Tigers are a critically endangered species
Tigers are among the most endangered animal species worldwide. Three subspecies are already extinct. It is estimated that only a maximum of 5000 tigers remain in the wild. In the vast majority of cases in isolated protected areas in Asia.
In principle, keeping endangered and rare species is prohibited. That was first aired in 1975 at the Washingtoner Species protection agreement quoted regulated. The list of animal and plant species that may not be traded or kept by private individuals is constantly being updated. At the end of November, the 19th conference with 184 contracting parties and states came to an end in Panama.
But in exceptional cases, protected animals may also be kept in Germany. According to the Berlin Senate, a special permit is required for this. The keeping of dangerous animals from wild species is linked to several requirements, such as the expertise of the keeper and the spatial requirements. A certificate of good conduct should also be submitted. “The application for a special permit can be submitted to the competent veterinary and food control office,” it says. Circuses usually have something like this.
“Basically, however, it is not advisable to keep exotic species,” says Christiane Schröder from the German Nature Conservation Union (Nabu) in the Berliner Zeitung. “Because in captivity, the habitat of the animals cannot be reproduced and therefore a species-appropriate way of life cannot be guaranteed.” With tigers, for example, it was also necessary that they have spacious territories in which they hunt and reproduce. The animals would usually only be locked up in a small space. “It’s as if we humans would only have to stay in our apartment our whole lives,” says Christiane Schröder from Nabu in Brandenburg.
The problem has continued
Keeping is usually permitted with special permits if the animals were not caught in the wild, but come from offspring or are surplus in zoos.
However, Christiane Schröder also says that the problem has not decreased. “Unfortunately, the trend is not declining. On the contrary. During the Corona period, many people started keeping exotic animals from scratch.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s birds or reptiles, fish or big cats.
For example, reptiles would all have to be officially chipped. They have a chip under their skin that proves for a lifetime that the animal has been bred. “Unfortunately, you can order a lot on the Internet,” she says. “And people often don’t pay attention to whether they are offspring.” Exotic animals that were illegally caught in the wild can also come to Germany.
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The specialist sees another problem: “If the python no longer fits into the 60-liter tank at home, some people will simply release the snake.” If there are enemies, they can quickly become a problem and destroy the habitat for other species.
And there are a lot of exotic animals kept. According to the Federal Association for the Protection of Nature, Animals and Species, 70,000 protected reptiles were brought to Germany every year between 2008 and 2018. This makes Germany one of the largest importers of protected reptiles in Europe after Italy.
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