What is the psychology behind the exotic animal market?

                                                         Source: pitchvision.com

The economic principle I’m exploring is “Institutions are the ‘rules of the game’ that influence choices.”

 My research question to help me study the economic principle is “How does the varying legality of exotic pet ownership around the world influence the exotic pet trade?”

 My sub-research question is “What is the psychology behind the exotic animal market?”

 The articles published in mentalfloss and vice titled (respectively) “The Ins & Outs of Exotic Animal Smuggling” and “Why Rich People Are Obsessed With Owning Exotic Animals” demonstrate this economic principle by showing that sometimes a certain psychology or train of thought will overrule people’s sense of legality or institutions.

 First, as quoted from an article cited in a previous post - the reason so many smugglers enter their trade in the first place is because wildlife trafficking is “low-risk, high-reward” and thus, “many drug traffickers...diversify into the wildlife business.” In short, it’s a quick and easy way to make a whole lot of money. But what about the buyers? Some believe in “the psychology of collectors.”As one author - Bryan Christy - reasoned in his book The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers, “..reptile collectors tend to follow a common progression. First, they get bigger species, then meaner ones, then unusual ones, and, finally, illegal species, which are also frequently venomous.” It can be safely assumed that other exotic pet owners - not just reptile owners - largely follow the same trend.

 Second, I took a wider look at those who purchased exotic pets - not all were serial collectors or black market-regulars. Historically, rare and unusual pets have been a status symbol for the wealthy. Vice author Sarah Emerson suggests that “Perhaps to the extremely wealthy, wildness is a commodity itself. Humans have dominated our environment for millennia, though we've only recently started to truly conquer it. And what's more self-affirming than a living, breathing reminder of our command over the natural world?” She theorizes that it’s their “untamability” in itself which makes them so alluring. As Lisa Wathne, “a captive wildlife manager at the Humane Society of the United States” affirmed, “‘It’s ego, plain and simple… Especially when you see people with tigers on leashes or giant snakes wrapped around their necks. There’s no doubt they’re thinking about themselves far more than they’re thinking about the animals.’”

 Third, I explored a “conservation psychology” blog, which covered some more well-intentioned reasons for purchasing an exotic pet alongside the typical ego and greed. According to author Pamela Goh of Nanyang Technological University. “pet owners of small exotic animals do claim that their pets offer the same or even more unique forms of love, companionship, and satisfaction as that of a dog or cat.” Additionally, “Some exotic pet enthusiasts argued that taking care of a dog or hamster is just not challenging or unique enough. They consider the responsibility of looking after a non-native animal a “new, learning experience“, not obtainable from caring for any other typical pet. Having an exotic pet goes beyond the common expectancies and standard routine of care that everyone knows of, that is required for an already well-established pet.” Or, in other cases, some pet owners see exotic animal ownership as a way of preserving their pets’ species, should it ever go extinct in the wild. However, Goh observes that “it would work only if these exotic animals are kept solely for this purpose rather than to meet humans’ needs for novelty, interest or gratification”. Though there are undoubtedly a number of well-meaning exotic pet owners out in the world, overall, it seems like the driving factors for this market are essentially greed and ego.

 In my next blog post I will provide a summary of all my findings.