How exotic pet keepers can and want to help conservation?

[Jurek7]

There are 100,000s of people who keep birds, reptiles, fish, small mammals or invertebrates as a hobby. This is the army of people who could potentially help conservation. How they could, and want to, help?
In the previous threads some thoughts appeared:
- big majority of people keep standard species, often domesticated forms. They are not necessarily interested in conservation at all.
- There is a small group of very dedicated private keepers breeding rare species.
- over-collection of wild animals can be stopped by regulations or by breeding in human hands. Little investigated are sustainable trade quota paying for conservation, and a community of keepers self-policing or spotting illegal imports.
- experienced keepers have enormous knowledge to share.
- most keepers have problem sticking to long-term commitment. Many become disinterested and sell or give away their pets, so don't fit into standard long-term collection plans.
- There is potential space for loaning or keeping rare species.
- There is a potential to organize fund raising campaigns.
Any examples or ideas how private keepers help conservation recently?

 

[Valentinoamor]

There are 100,000s of people who keep birds, reptiles, fish, small mammals or invertebrates as a hobby. This is the army of people who could potentially help conservation. How they could, and want to, help?
In the previous threads some thoughts appeared:
- big majority of people keep standard species, often domesticated forms. They are not necessarily interested in conservation at all.
- There is a small group of very dedicated private keepers breeding rare species.
- over-collection of wild animals can be stopped by regulations or by breeding in human hands. Little investigated are sustainable trade quota paying for conservation, and a community of keepers self-policing or spotting illegal imports.
- experienced keepers have enormous knowledge to share.
- most keepers have problem sticking to long-term commitment. Many become disinterested and sell or give away their pets, so don't fit into standard long-term collection plans.
- There is potential space for loaning or keeping rare species.
- There is a potential to organize fund raising campaigns.
Any examples or ideas how private keepers help conservation recently?

Private owners of reptiles and amphibians tend to assist zoos in their conservation efforts. I think it's mostly unheard of in mammals and birds.

 

[Sheather]

I believe most zoo cassowaries come from private breeders.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

- There is a small group of very dedicated private keepers breeding rare species.
- over-collection of wild animals can be stopped by regulations or by breeding in human hands. Little investigated are sustainable trade quota paying for conservation, and a community of keepers self-policing or spotting illegal imports.

I'll give a recent example that illustrates this.

A zoochatter who I assume will want to remain anonymous who keeps reptiles professionally recently alerted me to an animal trafficker in Brazil who was offering golden lancehead vipers for sale to collectors abroad.

Thanks to his alert I was able to report this to some colleagues of mine who brought in the relevant authorities who I assume have apprehended this animal trafficker.

There are indeed a great many private keepers out there who generally do care about the illegal trade in wild animals and stopping it and that actually contribute to conservation by collaborating in all kinds of ways.