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THESE wild cats, believed to be African lynx, are kept at a farm in Bahrain and are among the menagerie of exotic creatures living in the kingdom.
Wildlife campaigners and health experts have called on the government to tighten the procedures on the import of wild animals for fear of spreading an array of debilitating diseases which could cause a catastrophe if they become virulent among the human population.
In Bahrain it is possible to buy crocodiles, monkeys and a variety of rare birds which often show symptoms of sickness and stress and are caged in close proximity to one another.
It is often illegal to transport them out of their country of origin and there are now calls for Bahrain to sign up to an international accord aimed at protecting wildlife.
A leading microbiologist has called for an end to the trade which in the kingdom is fuelled by people buying the animals as status symbols but who have no idea that they may be biting off a lot more than they can chew.
