Another smuggling news story

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Damn, it's a small world out there. I bought a lizard off Niall a few years back. Aside from the fact that he incorrectly sexed the lizard he generally seemed like a nice guy.
[doublepost=1526443067,1526380089][/doublepost]It does make you wonder whether all these strict and often seemingly senseless regulations are causing more harm than good, however.
 
Damn, it's a small world out there. I bought a lizard off Niall a few years back. Aside from the fact that he incorrectly sexed the lizard he generally seemed like a nice guy.

I contacted him couple of seasons ago after I was given his name by someone over there as a potential source of Western Netted Dragons. He said he was keeping the ones he had so I missed out. Looks like I might have been fortunate to get my little group from you Kayla. They're doing really great by the way. Can't beat captive bred for establishing animals after shipping they just settle right in as soon as you put them in the enclosure. Thanks again.

Mark Hawker
 
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It does make you wonder whether all these strict and often seemingly senseless regulations are causing more harm than good, however

I can see both sides to the argument though Kayla. If borders were opened for legal export of these 'in demand' species would it not likely lead to more idiots robbing them from the wild to make a quick buck?

I came across a guy in Victoria at one time who was a well known breeder/seller of certain lizard species. Actually turned out he was taking from the wild and passing them off as captive bred. During incubation periods he had actually gone to the extreme of making his own artificial eggs that he put in the incubator in-case he got a visit from the local rangers as he was on their radar for some reason.

If there is money to be made from anything there is some deceitful, conniving human trying to cheat the system with total disregard for anything or anyone who gets in the way.
 
I contacted him couple of seasons ago after I was given his name by someone over there as a potential source of Western Netted Dragons. He said he was keeping the ones he had so I missed out. Looks like I might have been fortunate to get my little group from you Kayla. They're doing really great by the way. Can't beat captive bred for establishing animals after shipping they just settle right in as soon as you put them in the enclosure. Thanks again.

Mark Hawker

No worries Mark. Glad to hear they're settling in and you're enjoying them. Should post some pictures. :)

I can see both sides to the argument though Kayla. If borders were opened for legal export of these 'in demand' species would it not likely lead to more idiots robbing them from the wild to make a quick buck?

I came across a guy in Victoria at one time who was a well known breeder/seller of certain lizard species. Actually turned out he was taking from the wild and passing them off as captive bred. During incubation periods he had actually gone to the extreme of making his own artificial eggs that he put in the incubator in-case he got a visit from the local rangers as he was on their radar for some reason.

If there is money to be made from anything there is some deceitful, conniving human trying to cheat the system with total disregard for anything or anyone who gets in the way.

You're right, Paul. I doesn't matter which way it goes. There's always someone looking to break the law. While I don't condone illegal wild taking I consider seasoned poachers carrying out habitat destruction in order to take hundreds of reptiles at a time and smuggling them out of the country through cruel and unethical means to be the greater evil compared to the occasional enthusiast taking home a few critters either to keep as pets or to diversify bloodlines. Perhaps if it was legal to export out of the country more critters would be packaged correctly and death and suffering would be minimized. It could be wishful thinking on my part, but it's just a thought.
 
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I feel like isn't the obvious solution to make exports legal, but people who have prior convinctions are not allowed to engage in it.
Surely then the animals making it there alive and legally would probably still be drastically lower in number than now where a whole heap are sent illegally at the hope one survives over and over again.

I think it says a lot about the politician that he is more concerned about not feeling like people are making money off the animals rather than effectively removing the suffering of the animals.
 
Although I think the politician's response was a cop out, raising the fines that much might just make an impact. If they're not making as much as they're being fined, it might make them think twice about this being an easy way to make money.

I'm finding the more herpers I meet, the more obvious it becomes that a lot of people aren't exactly doing the right thing... unfortunately for these beautiful creatures, that will never stop.
 
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