The Reptile Black Market Still Around

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stlouisdude
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

Post by stlouisdude »

Unfortunately predictable when the Chinese cannot export that they would seek to find ways around the system. In another curiosity, I noticed quite a few adult shinglebacks in China for the past couple years. Not saying they couldn't be legit, but I do kind of wonder if some Chinese guys brought back some keepsakes on vacation : :?:
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WSTREPS
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

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36 yrs later Federal Fish and Wildlife are still talking about the time they ran a 7 million dollar sting to bust a bunch of small time collector's and a few dealers that were hanging on by their finger nails. Now 36 yrs later wildlife law enforcement is still spinning their wheels trying to justify their jobs. That's why there is a constant push to get everything no matter how common listed so specimens cannot be taken from the wild or sold under Federal and State laws. The more "protection" the more job security, the bigger the budget.

Shingleback skinks are one of many good examples of the garbage that goes on with this. Shinglebacks are commonly sold in Australian pet shops. People buy them for their kids but if a serious breeder would like to obtain a group. Then it becomes black market trading in protected wildlife. Back to the 1981 sting. They boast about the numbers surrounding the crown jewel of reptile bust the 1981 Atlanta Wildlife Exchange sting. And they make it sound impressive. Like they really did something. But once again they don't provide a detailed list of what they got. It was a joke. And now 36 yrs later they still cant do anything but occasionally bust a small time collector with a few animals. There are over 120,000 extremely violent gang member's in Los Angeles.Thank godthe Feds are spending their time searching potato chip cans for king cobras.

Ernie Eison
stlouisdude
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

Post by stlouisdude »

Ernie, I agree with you that what their doing isn't doing any good confiscating animals that were likely on deaths doorstep), but ideally China would just allow export so no one needs to risk life searching pringles cans? agree?
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WSTREPS
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

Post by WSTREPS »

Ernie, I agree with you that what their doing isn't doing any good confiscating animals that were likely on deaths doorstep), but ideally China would just allow export so no one needs to risk life searching pringles cans? agree?
Ideally that would be great. But its not that simple. In China cobras are listed as Critically Endangered in the National Red Data Book are appendix 2 on the Cites list. The native Cobra population in China is (cough) protected. But they import a lot of cobras for medicinal crap so the dealers there have access to a lot of different variant's. That's how the dealers get ahold of them. The deal is these imports come from country's that are not part of the cites trade agreement so now you cant issue the cites paperwork needed to re-export them to the States. So even if everything is completely legal and actually benefit's the animal (It has a chance to live or it gets sliced up and put in a jar) its still a no go. True conservation, kill them all.

Ernie Eison
Jimi
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

Post by Jimi »

I found this (linked below) a very interesting read. Cover to cover. Partly entertaining, partly nostalgic, partly infuriating, partly uplifting. Some things change, for better or worse, while some things stay the same. Some prophets of doom are proven wrong, some wise people are ignored. Some assholes (in whatever sector they work in) just keep doing what they do. And of course, everybody tries to keep on living, but still dies in the end:

http://www.cnah.org/khs/khs_pubs/KHSN_46.pdf
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Jimi wrote:I found this (linked below) a very interesting read. Cover to cover. Partly entertaining, partly nostalgic, partly infuriating, partly uplifting. Some things change, for better or worse, while some things stay the same. Some prophets of doom are proven wrong, some wise people are ignored. Some assholes (in whatever sector they work in) just keep doing what they do. And of course, everybody tries to keep on living, but still dies in the end:

http://www.cnah.org/khs/khs_pubs/KHSN_46.pdf
I laughed; I cried; would definitely read again. The general takeaway from that issue: "what's old is new again."
Jimi
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Re: The Reptile Black Market Still Around

Post by Jimi »

The general takeaway from that issue: "what's old is new again."
God help us, ain't it the truth?
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