Channel NewsAsia 31 May 17;
SINGAPORE: A 32-year-old woman was fined S$6,900 on Wednesday (May 31) for keeping exotic wildlife, including an endangered veiled chameleon.
Tai Qi Hui's home was raided by officers from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) last July, and they found a total of 17 illegal wildlife specimens, comprising 14 exotic lizards, a snake, an ornate horned frog and an endangered veiled chameleon.
AVA officers had acted on a tip-off, after receiving information that the woman was allegedly selling illegal wildlife online.
Keeping wild animals such as exotic amphibians, snakes and lizards is not allowed in Singapore.
“Wild animals are not suitable pets as some may transmit zoonotic diseases to humans and can be a public safety risk if mishandled, or if they escape into our dense urban environment,” AVA said. “In addition, wild animals that are non-native to Singapore may also be a threat to our bio-diversity if released into the environment.”
It added that demand for such animals would also fuel the illegal wildlife trade.
Tai was fined S$1,500 for one charge of possessing an endangered species and S$600 for each of the nine charges of keeping wild animals. Seven other charges of keeping wild animals were also taken into consideration, said AVA.
The animals are currently in the care of the Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
