There are over 1,100 identified species of scorpions, but less than 30 species are considered dangerous to humans. The sting of most scorpions is only as harmful as a bee sting. Even though large, heavy and terrifying in appearance, the emperor's sting is not lethal. All species of scorpions are beneficial to their environment, because they prey on pest insects and arachnids. Many more species of scorpions remain undiscovered, but research is difficult.
Scorpions tend to live in hostile environments, and are difficult to distinguish between species.
The emperor scorpion is collected in Africa for the pet trade. With the proper permits they can still be imported, but removal from their natural habitat results in a smaller chance that they will repopulate their environment. If you want an emperor scorpion as a pet, buy a captive-bred scorpion, as they breed well in captivity. Other threats to the survival of all scorpions are mostly human-caused, due to fear or misunderstanding, deforestation, habitat destruction, desertification, pollution and farming. The effort to save animals and their habitat requires cooperation and support at the international, national, regional and individual levels.