Wild-caught animals in zoos

[aardvark250]

So how does one collect wild animals for zoos in a way that doesn't detriment the wild population? Because with herps, I'd imagine that zoos buying them from private dealers is pretty sketchy.

For a lot of zoos: Short answer, they don't.

 

[Fresco3]

It’s not uncommon in many poorer zoos in poorer countries, particularly in Africa to simply go out and catch wild animals for zoos. Many seem to have quite a high ‘turnover’ rate unfortunately too.

 

[CMTM]

In some cases local authorities may prefer that specimens are collected from the wild locally over imported from captive situations in other states or countries as a means of preventing pathogen transfer. "Better safe than sorry"

 

[Mickey]

Any zoo could start a breeding program for wild animals in captivity, with due resources and time, although the best way would be to take them from privates as those specimebs are already adapted to a captive lifestyle, shame EAZA nor AZA support this, it would be easier and less expensive to get the animals from them

 

[Fresco3]

Any zoo could start a breeding program for wild animals in captivity, with due resources and time, although the best way would be to take them from privates as those specimebs are already adapted to a captive lifestyle, shame EAZA nor AZA support this, it would be easier and less expensive to get the animals from them

because often private animals can have dubious origins and you could quite easily create a back-hand black market by creating more demand for wild caught animals…

I completely understand why.

 

[Mickey]

because often private animals can have dubious origins and you could quite easily create a back-hand black market by creating more demand for wild caught animals…

I completely understand why.

It's not guaranteed though and they could easily be a surplus to the private holder who may want to get rid of them anyway, and if these animals have dubious origin, then why are they in private hands in the first place? The zoo could very well sue these people once no CITES document is given;
While for things like texan ranches could be different, they could be already the descendants of animals imported prior to the international regulations

 

[Great Argus]

and if these animals have dubious origin, then why are they in private hands in the first place?

Because private hands are far less scrupulous than public ones perhaps? The private trade is rife with illegal species and they don't care, if it makes money for the collector and vendor then worth the risk.

The zoo could very well sue these people once no CITES document is given;

And spend a whole bunch of money against the person who merely owned the animal, not those who went and collected, exported, and imported it illegally? Waste of a zoo's time and money. Fake CITES documents are also very much a thing unfortunately - pretty much all the marine iguanas exported had paperwork, but it was all forged. It got the animals through and that was what they wanted.

While for things like texan ranches could be different, they could be already the descendants of animals imported prior to the international regulations

Most of the Texas ranches are breeding centers, not import centers. So yes, they are already descendants of animals imported prior to the regulations.