Far from home: Tracking the global ornamental fish trade in endangered zebra loach, Botia striata, from freshwater ecoregion and biodiversity hotspot in India

Abstract

Countless animals, including threatened species from invertebrates to vertebrates, are the victims of the world’s largest illegitimate business—illicit sales of wildlife. Botia striata (zebra loach) is an endangered freshwater fish endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Because of its distinctive stripes, it is heavily exported and ranks second in the volume of trade in aquarium pets from India. However, maintaining a sustainable aquarium trade is a complex task which depends on the availability of authentic data on the volume of trade, trade routes and the supply chain of the species involved. In this study, therefore, we collected five years of trade data including daily exports of zebra loach from India's international airports to identify the global centers for its trade, its exact traded volume and trade routes. To support artificial breeding programs of zebra loach, the breeding season and size at first maturity were also determined. Using reproductive biology data, the number of individuals traded during the breeding season and the total contribution of immature individuals to the trade were also determined. Results revealed that 265,610 zebra loach were exported from five exit points in India to sixteen different countries (global centers in Asian countries). The greatest number of consignments was from Kolkata, which makes it the top exit point for the zebra loach trade. Singapore is the top importer (73.05%) of zebra loach and thus probably acts as a transit hub for the distribution of zebra loach individuals across the globe. About 60% of the zebra fish were exported during the breeding season suggesting that the global aquarium pet trade may increase the fish’s risk of extinction. Our global maps of trade centers of the study species would serve as “The past as a guide to the future”. The present study indicates that sustainable trade in wildlife can be achieved if laws are enacted and enforced to require information on traded species, support functional artificial breeding programs, include species of conservation concern into CITES appendices and ensure strict enforcement of laws to preserve biodiversity.