Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Question by:
Hon Andricus van der Westhuizen
Answered by:
Hon Anton Bredell
Question Number:
16
Question Body:
- Whether his Department keeps a database of (a) owners or (b) facilities to whom permits have been issued for the keeping of exotic wild animals; if so, (i) for which species have permits been issued and (ii) how many of these animals are currently legally kept in the province;
- how many permits issued by his Department to (a) residents or (b) facilities to keep exotic wild animals, particularly tigers, are currently valid?
Answer Body:
REPLY:
- (a) and (b) Yes, CapeNature keeps a database of owners and facilities to whom permits have been issued for the keeping of exotic wild animals.
- and (ii) CapeNature cannot provide a list of exotic wild animal species for which permits have been issued as the database does not differentiate species as “exotic”. Since April 2022, permits have been issued for 5 670 species of which 71 are exotic animal species. These include non-harmful species such as exotic birds, reptiles and mammals.
- (a) and (b) Seven permits were issued keep tigers. All seven permits were issued to bona fide zoo/exhibition facilities as CapeNature does not allow the keeping of tigers as pets.
Date:
Friday, February 24, 2023
