• Four Lynxs, North Hertfordshire • A Savannah cat, North Hertfordshire • A snow leopard, North Hertfordshire 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.
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Wild boars - 131 Other species on the DWA list that are being kept as pets or in private collections in the UK include zebras, camels, fossa, hyaena, sun bears and wolves. Born Free are 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’ in unsuitable captive conditions. Dr Mark Jones, Veterinarian and Born Free’s Head of Policy, states: “Born Free has been collating and analysing DWA data for over 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% increase in the number of venomous snakes, 57% increase in wild cats, 198% increase in crocodilians and over a 2000% increase in scorpions.