TY - JOUR
T1 - Exotic pet trade as a cause of biological invasions
T2 - The case of tree squirrels of the genus callosciurus
AU - Mazzamuto, Maria Vittoria
AU - Wauters, Lucas A.
AU - Koprowski, John L.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank M. Laura Guichón and Maurice La Haye for the information shared regarding Callosciurus squirrels in Argentina and the Netherlands, respectively. We also thank the three anonymous reviewers that helped improve the initial version of this manuscript. The Graphical Abstract was created with BioRender.com. This paper is the product of the International Memorandum of Agreement between the University of Wyoming and the University of Insubria.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - The trade of non-native pets, especially of non-domesticated and exotic animals, and their subsequent release and establishment of populations is one of the major pathways of introduction for invasive alien reptiles, amphibia, birds and mammals. Here, we use a group of arboreal mammals, tree squirrels of the genus Callosciurus, as a well-documented case study, reviewing the pathways of introduction, the current areas of non-native distribution, the rate of establishment success and the challenge and legal importance of species identification. We further illustrate the importance of early detection and effective monitoring methods and plans. Next, we document how they interfere with native species, their risk of acting as vectors for emerging infectious diseases and their potential role in maintaining parasitic infections that can affect human health. We conclude by reviewing the current management, or the lack of it, and highlight the diverse biological, social, political and economic reasons that make control/eradication of these charismatic species difficult or even impractical in most countries. However, reviewing the only two successful eradications of the IAS, we highlight the need to acknowledge the public opinion and the importance of communication, transparency and the engagement of a diversity of stakeholders to create a consensus about the actions to undertake.
AB - The trade of non-native pets, especially of non-domesticated and exotic animals, and their subsequent release and establishment of populations is one of the major pathways of introduction for invasive alien reptiles, amphibia, birds and mammals. Here, we use a group of arboreal mammals, tree squirrels of the genus Callosciurus, as a well-documented case study, reviewing the pathways of introduction, the current areas of non-native distribution, the rate of establishment success and the challenge and legal importance of species identification. We further illustrate the importance of early detection and effective monitoring methods and plans. Next, we document how they interfere with native species, their risk of acting as vectors for emerging infectious diseases and their potential role in maintaining parasitic infections that can affect human health. We conclude by reviewing the current management, or the lack of it, and highlight the diverse biological, social, political and economic reasons that make control/eradication of these charismatic species difficult or even impractical in most countries. However, reviewing the only two successful eradications of the IAS, we highlight the need to acknowledge the public opinion and the importance of communication, transparency and the engagement of a diversity of stakeholders to create a consensus about the actions to undertake.
KW - Bark-stripping
KW - Economic damage
KW - Eradication cost
KW - Finlayson’s squirrel
KW - Interspecific competition
KW - Invasive species
KW - Pallas’s squirrel
KW - Parasite release
KW - Sociopolitical support
KW - Taxonomy
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U2 - 10.3390/biology10101046
DO - 10.3390/biology10101046
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85118111780
SN - 2079-7737
VL - 10
JO - Biology
JF - Biology
IS - 10
M1 - 1046
ER -