Some animals and plants are rare because people take them from the wild and sell them.
People who steal rare animals and plants are called poachers. Most poached animals become pets. Others end up in zoos.
In the past, zoos treated animals badly. But many zoos today are helping to save rare species.
Some poachers steal young apes.
Poaching for the pet trade threatens apes such as orang-utans, as well as small creatures like reptiles, fish and even spiders.
The poachers usually kill the adult apes and steal their babies because they are small and easier to manage. Many baby apes also die because their new owners don’t look after them properly.
People capture parrots for sale as pets.
Most animals taken from the wild do not thrive away from home. Captured animals are frightened and confused. Many are sold abroad. On the journey they are often kept in cramped cages. Many die on the way.
Ninety types of parrot are endangered because so many birds have been captured as pets.
Many zoos today are trying to save rare species like condors.
In the past, animals in zoos were not always well treated. Some were kept in small cages. A few species almost died out because too many were captured for zoos.
Nowadays, zoos often help to save rare species, by breeding the animals in captivity. If breeding is successful, the young animals may be released into the wild.
Animals born in the wild do not usually make good pets.
If your family buys a pet, make sure that is has been bred from captive animals, not taken from the wild. The pet shop should tell you where the animal came from.
Parrots, reptiles, fish and other animals bred in captivity make better pets than wild ones, because they are more used to humans and easier to look after. Make sure you find out about the food and conditions your pet needs.
Picture Credit : Google