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Principle Animal Markets in China
Chengdu- A food market as well as a pet market can be found in this Sichuan province city. These markets are both found on the same street and animals that don't sell well in the pet market often move down the road to the food market area (saw this occur with a Sacalia quadriocellata as well as numerous Indotestudo elongata in spring 2002). There are a wide variety of turtle species in the pet markets whereas softshells are the predominant chelonian taxa by far in the food markets followed by a few elongated tortoises and a couple of Mauremys mutica and Pyxidea mouhotti. Non-chelonian reptiles included a large number of primarily nonvenomous snakes in both markets as well as a small variety of lizards which were primarily in the pet market. Bird species and numbers were limited but included primarily geese, ducks, and a few peacocks. Mammalian species again were extremely rare with only a few smoked bats hanging in some stalls as well as a number of breeds of puppies and kittens in the pet market area.
These markets appeared to have a limited future. During a recent trip, rapid construction and development were occurring just off of this street. It remains to be seen if the markets will move to another location, go underground, or disappear altogether in this city.
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