Although keeping exotic animals as pets is banned in Bosnia and Herzegovina, numerous such animals are sold on the internet locally, N1 found.

Article 9, paragraph 2 of the Law on the Protection and Welfare of Animals stipulates that the sale of exotic animals and animals protected by law is prohibited, while Article 6, paragraph 3 of the aforementioned Law prohibits the keeping of protected, wild, and life-threatening species as pets.

According to the available bases maintained by the Indirect Tax Administration from 2017 to 2023, various wild and exotic species were imported, such as monkeys, two-humped camels, llamas, lemurs, chinchillas, tigers, zebras, raccoons and other species. Meanwhile, the black market for exotic animals in Bosnia and Herzegovina is flourishing, as can be seen in ads on the internet.

On one of the most popular ad sites for sale on the internet, olx.ba, one could purchase a python for 350 Bosnian Marks, tarantulas with a price range between 30 BAM to 150 BAM, an iguana for 350 BAM, as well as monkeys, with the price negotiable.

Veterinarian Ivka Dzolan told N1 that this must be stopped. However, she explained that it is very difficult to do so, as is the case with many other things in our country.

She explained that the law does not allow the import, sale, or keeping of exotic animals, which includes tarantulas, snakes, chameleons and similar animals.

Fines for owners of wild or exotic animals range from 30 BAM to 10,000 BAM.