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Russia hungry for exotic pets

The increase stems from the rise in demand by affluent Russians wanting rare animals as pets.

Chimpanzees, leopards and bear cubs are changing hands for many thousands of roubles.

Those that are recovered by the Russian authorities end up at the Moscow airport zoo which is now full to overflowing.

The extremely profitable illegal trade of animals now ranks third after the smuggling of weapons and drugs. As well as the animals that are brought into Russia, rare breeds originating from the country are sent to the West.

Staff at the Moscow airport zoo say the illegal trade in imported pets has exploded.

"If someone puts in a request at the pet markets then the animal will be shipped. You can order anything, even an elephant. Sometimes they use charter flights or trains to bring the animals in," said Moscow zoo veterinarian, Mikhail Koshelev.

Smuggling animals into Russia is illegal but selling them is not so traders operate in the open. However, some animals never get as far as the market. They are dead on arrival at the airport.

Hunting falcons were found with their eyelids sown together to prevent them panicking when they were packed into a suitcase for transport. They did not last the journey.

Ironically, the less rare animals being held in the airport zoo will eventually be sold on the open market. Environment ministry officials say that selling them is the only way to fund the zoo, which is needed to protect more endangered species.

Internet Links

Trail of the Great Bear
Centre for Russian Nature Conservation
Animal Rights Coalition

The BBC is not responsible for the content of these internet sites.

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