Exotic animal cafes are increasingly home to threatened biodiversity

Abstract

Exploitation of species for wildlife trade, including the demand for exotic pets (likely sourced from the wild or recent generations of captivity) is a major threat to biodiversity. Although not traditionally considered “pet keeping” countries, pet ownership is growing in Asia. Exotic animals are also appearing in cafes, which are growing in popularity and have the potential to impact wild populations by stimulating exotic pet trade. We identified 406 animal cafes across Asia, of which 27% housed exotic species, including mammals (e.g., otter, slow loris, meerkat), birds (e.g., owls, hawks, parrots), and reptiles (e.g., geckos, pythons, turtles). Of the 252 exotic species recorded, 46% were threatened either as classified by the IUCN Red List, having a decreasing population trend, and/or threatened by the pet trade. These results, alongside the alignment of cafe traits with recognized factors influencing exotic pet trade, demonstrate as yet unclear (but potentially dramatic) implications for conservation.