By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

For those dreaming of having a pet similar to the famous fennec in Saint-Exupery's ``The Little Prince,'' the sand fox can be bought at the Second Floor Zoo in central Seoul. The exotic pet dealer has recently been enjoying more lenient import regulations due to growth in the industry.

Among his stock of both endearingly familiar and more unique breeds, he has such animals as the American raccoon, parrots and the Munchkin cat, a new, genetically-mutated short-legged breed of feline.

``The exotic pet market is much like the luxury market. The expensive ones with smaller populations are more popular,'' the pet shop owner said. ``The purchasers are mostly in their late 20s and 30s.''

Exports and imports of endangered species have increased 7 percent each year from 2004 to 2008, according to the Han River Basin Environmental Office which oversees the Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province areas. In four years, the number of animals involved rose from 4,823 to 6,333.

All legal trade must be approved under the Wildlife Law. The Han River office oversees 90 percent of imports and exports as most animal trades go through the metropolitan area.

A species status is categorized officially by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which has 34,000 known wild fauna and flora listed. Of them, roughly 600 species are permitted in South Korea.

Animals that are commonly traded pythons, iguanas and tortoises. Last year, regulations regarding parrots were lightened to allow new breeds of the bird to be available to buyers.

But even with the progressive changes, illegal trading still exists. Those that are caught have their products confiscated in accordance with the Wildlife Law, the environmental office said. The office recently confiscated 42 Eclectus parrot eggs hidden in a plastic container that was smuggled from Thailand.

As for the Second Floor Zoo, the owner and customers are now able to choose from a wider selection of more exotic and colorful parrots, such as the blue- and gold-winged macaw, the sulphur-crested cockatoo and the African grey parrot.

``We do not deal with any of the illegal animals listed on CITES Appendices and Korean domestic regulations. All animals are imported and bred in accordance to the related laws,'' the owner said.

meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr