Wealthy Arabs in the Middle East pay thousands of dirhams or riyals for rare animals such as big cats, birds and even apes without knowing how to care for them.
Keeping such endangered species as pets is viewed as enviable status symbols.
Affluent Arabs have many exotic species locked up behind closed doors of their mansions: lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and panthers, to name a few.
Anyone convicted of smuggling endangered wildlife into the UAE can be jailed for up to six months and fined between AED10,000 to AED50,000; but this has failed in deterring many Emiratis who continue to keep endangered wildlife animals as pets.
The trade of rare animals has serious implications on wild populations that are already under stress.
None of the pet owners speak on the record about illegally purchasing exotic animals, but many amateur videos uploaded online attest to their popularity among young men in the Gulf.
Buying illegal wild animals in Arab region cab be as easy as acquiring a cupcake.
We have compiled a list of five animals which are kept as pets in the Middle East.
Click next to see images of exotic animals kept as pets
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