Keeping wild animals in captivity in Lithuania: business or pleasure?

Abstract

This research is based on the scientific data, gathered from different wild animals enclosures, allocated in eight Lithuanian regional environmental protection departments. The aim of keeping wild beasts is determined according to the actual game use. In fact, there are 169 private owners, who have 262 permissions to keep Wild animals. Most of them live in Siauliai -43, and least in Vilnius- 10. The biggest share of permissions was issued in Marijampole region - 75. In fact, there are 121 different species of wild animals that are kept in different paddocks. A large wild animal and bird diversity in mentioned places can play an important role in public environmental education and has all perspectives. It has been, that, wild animals are mainly hold for business purposes.