NEW research has shown the exotic pets currently being kept in Sussex.

The survey by animal charity Born Free found there had been a 59 per cent increase in exotic pet ownership in the UK since 2000.

There are currently 124 "dangerous wild animals" being kept in Sussex, the charity said.

These include:

  • One diamondback rattlesnake
  • 90 wild boar
  • 23 primates including black and white ruffed lemurs, red-bellied lemurs, mongoose lemurs and a red-fronted brown lemur
  • One Brazilian tapir
  • One red panda
  • Seven ostriches
  • One serval cat

Born Free's research reviewed the number of Dangerous Wild Animal (DWA) Act licences granted by local authorities in 2020 across England, Scotland and Wales, and the variety of species being privately kept.

In the UK, there were a total of 210 DWA licences were granted for the keeping of 3,951 individual wild animals including 320 wild cats, 158 crocodilians, 508 venomous snakes and two elephants.

The wildlife charity is now calling on the UK Government to immediately review the law and put a stop to some of the world’s most remarkable, but often deadly, creatures being kept as pets.

Dr Mark Jones, a vet and Born Free’s head of policy, said: "We have been collating and analysing DWA data for more than 20 years.

"Since the millennium the wild animal welfare and conservation charity has seen a dramatic increase in the number of exotic pets in private ownership, including a 94 per cent increase in the number of venomous snakes, 57 per cent increase in wild cats, 198 per cent increase in crocodilians and over a 2000 per cent increase in scorpions.

"However, these figures are likely to represent only the tip of the iceberg. They only record those animals being kept and registered with a DWA licence. Born Free believes that many additional dangerous wild animals are being kept without a licence."

Currently, under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, anyone in Britain can keep a dangerous wild animal as long as they obtain a licence from their local authority.

The granting of the licence is subject to conditions such as the keeping of the animal not being "contrary to the public interest on the grounds of safety", and the owner being "a suitable person to hold a licence under this Act".

But Born Free believes the act needs to be reviewed.

Dr Jones said: "It is unbelievable that, in this day and age, so many dangerous animals, including big cats, large primates, crocodiles and venomous snakes, are in private ownership in the UK.

"Increasing demand for all kinds of wild animals as exotic pets puts owners and the wider public at risk of injury or disease. It also results in serious animal suffering, and the demand increases the pressure on many wild populations which are often already under threat."

Born Free hopes a review of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 would lead to a phase-out of the private keeping of species that "clearly don’t belong in people’s homes".