Mind-blown

[stangs]

Stumbled across this map of wild animals being legally kept as pets today - had no idea wild animal ownership was this widespread. Savannah cats I somewhat can understand, and some of the data points look like animals in zoos and farms, but others have dumfounded me. What good reason is there for people owning elephants in Carmarthenshire or capuchin monkeys in Milton Keynes?

 

[splashgirl45]

Just looked there are 9 in my area mainly bobcats and other types of cat

 

[AmyMay]

Folly Farm is in Carmarthen. They have lions, giraffes, and yes elephants

 

[Archangel]

Years ago, when I lived in Surrey, I used to ride past a place where they kept lions in the garden.

 

[TPO]

There are Prezwalski Horses in my council area. I wonder where they are

 

[stangs]

Folly Farm is in Carmarthen. They have lions, giraffes, and yes elephants

Interesting. I wonder how they’ve collected the data then, if the elephants are registered here but not the others.

There are Prezwalski Horses in my council area. I wonder where they are

If you’re up in Scotland, I reckon those are the horses at the Highland Wildlife Park.

 

[AmyMay]

Folly Farm Zoo in Pembrokeshire

Come and say hello to 90 different species of animal including lions, giraffes, sloths and penguins at the Folly Farm Zoo in Wales!

www.folly-farm.co.uk

 

[stangs]

Can’t see any elephants on their website, AM.

I’m thinking the Welsh elephants are probably these guys: https://www.skandavale.org/about/elephants/

 

[AmyMay]

Can’t see any elephants on their website, AM.

I’m thinking the Welsh elephants are probably these guys: https://www.skandavale.org/about/elephants/

Ah, yes. I just made an assumption.

 

[TPO]

Interesting. I wonder how they’ve collected the data then, if the elephants are registered here but not the others.















































If you’re up in Scotland, I reckon those are the horses at the HighlanThd Wildlife Park.

They're in Perth & Kinross

 

[Blanche]

Years ago, when I lived in Surrey, I used to ride past a place where they kept lions in the garden.

Me too, maybe they’re the same ones.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

There isn't any really near me but quite a few in nearby towns like 3 cheetahs and wolves.

 

[criso]

Apparently there are 2 Mississippi Alligator (amongst other things) in the local authority where my horse is kept

 

[SilverLinings]

Thanks OP, that's an interesting map!

It would be interesting to know how many owners the animals are divided between. I think the 10 wolves in Berkshire belong to one person- relatives live practically next door to people who have a pack in their (large, well-fenced) garden and a few years ago there were 8 in that pack so I suspect it's just grown a bit. In the counties with more than one species (but no zoo) I wonder whether it is someone with diverse interests or several people each owning one species. I love that there is apparently a single wild boar in Mid Devon- I find it hard to believe that there is actually only one though!

I'm not comfortable with many of those species kept in captivity just as pets though, especially the ones that would normally roam over a large area. At least zoos do now make an effort with environmental enrichment and they carry out research and breeding programmes, but I suspect life is less rosy or justifiable for some of the 'pets'.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Stumbled across this map of wild animals being legally kept as pets today - had no idea wild animal ownership was this widespread. Savannah cats I somewhat can understand, and some of the data points look like animals in zoos and farms, but others have dumfounded me. What good reason is there for people owning elephants in Carmarthenshire or capuchin monkeys in Milton Keynes?

I'm not sure, yet, what to think of that part of the Born Free website... It's a bit too shouty, sensational and emotional for me to take it seriously.

I had a quick look at the records it has for South Yorkshire. Doncaster and Barnsley have nothing. Sheffield has two dwarf caymans. Rotherham has.... a Bengal cat and a Serval cat.

I was under the impression that a Bengal was a domestic breed.


Another quick look, and I found that High Peak Borough council (i.e. around Buxton) has 20 Beaded Lizards (Heloderma horridum) and 20 Gila Monsters (Heloderma suspectum), two closely related venomous lizards... Would a research lab working on venoms need the same kind of licence as a private individual to keep such animals?

 

[MissTyc]

I was rather surprised recently to visit a potential trainer for my pony and a squirrel monkey was bouncing around the yard with us. (UK!)

 

[DabDab]

Don't think it is including zoos in all cases. There is a zoo in my district (well, they call it a safari park, but same thing) with Tigers, elephants, giraffes, monkeys etc. but there's no wild animals listed here.

The only animals in the whole of Worcestershire listed are a bunch load of snakes in one district, so presumably one enthusiast.

 

[DabDab]

There are Prezwalski Horses in my council area. I wonder where they are

Ooo, cool

 

[SEL]

Cats and lemurs in my area. Not much though.

We've got quite a few escaped wallabies still!

 

[julesjoy]

Mainly snakes where I used to live and a whole herd of wild boar. No wild animals at all near me now apparently!

 

[criso]

I'm fairly sure it's not including zoos etc and it's only those registered in private homes. There's a wildlife park in the area and I can't see its animals on the list.

 

[Aperchristmas]

Cornwall is full of wild animals, how interesting!

 

[elliejhb]

Searched where I used to live, lots of snakes

 

[stangs]

I'm not sure, yet, what to think of that part of the Born Free website... It's a bit too shouty, sensational and emotional for me to take it seriously.

I had a quick look at the records it has for South Yorkshire. Doncaster and Barnsley have nothing. Sheffield has two dwarf caymans. Rotherham has.... a Bengal cat and a Serval cat.

I was under the impression that a Bengal was a domestic breed.


Another quick look, and I found that High Peak Borough council (i.e. around Buxton) has 20 Beaded Lizards (Heloderma horridum) and 20 Gila Monsters (Heloderma suspectum), two closely related venomous lizards... Would a research lab working on venoms need the same kind of licence as a private individual to keep such animals?

Bengals are included in the DWA if they're a first gen hybrid iirc.

Re research labs, ASPA apparently requires three types of licenses: establishment licenses, project licenses, personal licenses. I should think that you wouldn't need a DWA license then, because such a license would be like a combination of the establishment license and the personal license. Either way, I couldn't see any mention of the DWA in ASPA. I suppose it could depend on the lab, but my best bet would be that the lizards are owned by a breeder, retired breeder, or someone who's just a bit obsessed with the genus.

I'm fairly sure it's not including zoos etc and it's only those registered in private homes. There's a wildlife park in the area and I can't see its animals on the list.

The reason I brought it up is because I'm pretty sure 17 bison and 5 Przewalski's horses (in Perth & Kinross) is the exact number the Highland Wildlife Park had at the time. It seems too coincidental to not be the zoo's population, though I don't know why they would have been listed but not other animals.

 

[AmyMay]

deleted

 

[Archangel]

Me too, maybe they’re the same ones.

They were between Blackheath and Farley Green.
I have found some info on them...
Lions on the heath

 

[TPO]

The reason I brought it up is because I'm pretty sure 17 bison and 5 Przewalski's horses (in Perth & Kinross) is the exact number the Highland Wildlife Park had at the time. It seems too coincidental to not be the zoo's population, though I don't know why they would have been listed but not other animals.

Geography definitely isn't my strength but I think that the wildlife park is in Inverness-shire and too far north for Perth & Kinross. So I wonder if someone does own some privately?

 

[stangs]

Geography definitely isn't my strength but I think that the wildlife park is in Inverness-shire and too far north for Perth & Kinross. So I wonder if someone does own some privately?

Looks like you're right TPO - postcode suggests that they're covered by the Highland Council.

How does someone get their hands on pet wild ponies?

 

[criso]

The reason I brought it up is because I'm pretty sure 17 bison and 5 Przewalski's horses (in Perth & Kinross) is the exact number the Highland Wildlife Park had at the time. It seems too coincidental to not be the zoo's population, though I don't know why they would have been listed but not other animals.

Could it be different ways of registering in Scotland?

Paradise Wildlife Park is in Herts and neither East Herts or Broxbourne has Lions, Tigers, snow leapards or Jaguars.

2 pumas are listed in East Herts and at a previous yatd I used to ride past a private house with a big cage and what looked like 2 puma in it.

 

[TPO]

How does someone get their hands on pet wild ponies?

By being rich is my bet! Ha ha