Exotic Pet Breeding Made Tougher by Licensing Requirements

Chennai: The breeding of exotic plants and animals for eventual sale has become tougher thanks to the mandatory registration process. Now, if one wishes to breed exotic flora or fauna, they must register themselves to obtain a license from the state forest department. While the Breeders of Species License Rules have been in place since April 24, 2023, the Union Ministry for Environment gave states until July 31 to register the breeders of exotic animals along with the details of the animals/plants they breed along with the purpose of breeding.

Roughly 20 breeders from Chennai, Salem, and Erode have applied for a license and affixed the necessary demand draft of ?25,000 required. The license requires details like the details of species, purpose of breeding, available facilities (veterinarian, immunization, quarantine). All applications are to be sent to V Naganathan, the additional principal chief conservator of forests, Velachery, Chennai, who will then forward them to the relevant division.

Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu, Srinivas Reddy, said that all animals falling under Appendix 1 and Appendix 4 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) can be bred only if the necessary license has been obtained. This includes all non-native bird species, like macaws, cockatoos, sun conures, and African grey parrots. “This will not only give us a list of the breeders and the number of animals in the state, but also help regulate trade. We are still waiting for the guidelines to be issued for taking appropriate action against the violators. But this process is to give everyone a chance to register and get a valid license”, he said.