Not the nicest email I have received!

[longqi]

Dan $100 is the price of a treated skin

Even on their quoted $5million export that is still 50,000 dead snakes

Anyone can buy a 3 metre normal wild caught retic in most village markets for $10
Very few snake catchers get more than $10 anywhere in Indonesia unless its destined for the pet trade or a very big snake
Thats why wild caught are used
There are no farms in southern kalimantan
Yet you know how many snake products are made there
Behind Malang in Java are several 'farms'
Same story, we know their catchers and buyers

Only farms Ive ever seen that appeared to be viable are in Southern China

 

[aspidito]

From their website. Somehow I don't think the pet trade is their main purpose!
"Exporting live animals for personal use, research and pet purposes, as well as their fresh meat products for restaurants is of our abilities. Our annual export income of air-dried raw python skins and snake skins are over USD 5 million. Our main direct export markets are Europe, Japan, and Singapore. We have more then 20 year-old experience of Reptiles and have exported directly since 2004."

Hi Paul, what used to be only local trade in wildlife for food has branched out over the years into big business, some legal & some not but while there is a market it will continue & as IT & communication technology has become widely & cheaply available a much bigger market has been reached, & dont forget we have a growing multicultrual society & as so there would be many out there that would cook these up like we do chickens.
I would love to have a look at the Web site, I struggle with the $5 million annual income from snake products though.... it could be a scam to get some money for the first order & you never hear from them, got to admit though I have never seen this one before.
Cheers, Paul

 

[Pythoninfinite]

The problem for me is that it's the wealthy countries that provide the market for such things as snake & lizard skins - the vast bulk of these items are exported from Asia and Africa into Europe for the fashion trade... all to decorate the gormless bodies and feet of the fashionistas. We create the market where none should exist, poor people become reliant on the income, they feed the market, the market grows... and soon enough it becomes impossible to stop. (The same with live reptiles for the pet trade too...) It won't be stopped until there are too few reptiles to make it viable for villagers to catch them, or the entire area of southern Asia is levelled for oil palms... It's a toss up which will come first. Grim eh?

Jamie

 

[Jk888]

no need to get smart just asking a question

 

[Darlyn]

no need to get smart just asking a question

In his defence I thought it was an odd question. People get unsolicited emails all the time and Amazing
Amazon does sell turtles.

 

[wokka]

I sell live cattle by the kilo. Australia exports live cattle sheep etc by the kilo. Australia exports wild pigs, roos, possum by the kilo. There are probably more local fights to be had, before trying to reform the rest of Asia.

 

[Darlyn]

I sell live cattle by the kilo. Australia exports live catle sheep etc by the kilo. Australia exports wild pigs, roos, possum by the kilo. There are probably more local fights to be had, before trying to reform the rest of Asia.

Possums? Who buys them and for what?

 

[wokka]

Possums? Who buys them and for what?

I exported some to Denmark 15 years ago along with Emu, Ostrich and Crocodile, Eel, for human consumption. There was a possum abbatior in Tasmainia. I recall i had an enquiry for live snakes to China which i think was legal about 20 years ago.Personally i think wild shooting is far more humane, when done properly, than killing in abbatiors and more sustainable, with less environmental impact than farming.

 

[longqi]

I sell live cattle by the kilo. Australia exports live catle sheep etc by the kilo. Australia exports wild pigs, roos, possum by the kilo. There are probably more local fights to be had, before trying to reform the rest of Asia.

So long as the animals being sold are captive bred or sustainably harvested
I see no problem at all in any of that marketing

There is a huge difference between sustainable use of a resource and what happens in the reptile product trade

 

[Darlyn]

I exported some to Denmark 15 years ago along with Emu, Ostrich and Crocaodile, Eel, for human consumption. There was an abbatior in Tasmainia. I recall i had an enquiry for live snakes to China which i think was legal about 20 years ago.

Kiwi's should get onto that I hear they have plenty possum.
Never tasted it myself I wonder what it tastes like.
You exported ostriches?

 

[longqi]

Kiwi's should get onto that I hear they have plenty possum.
Never tasted it myself I wonder what it tastes like.
You exported ostriches?

Tastes ok in a slow cooked stew
But really tough roasted
Strong gamey taste but cold beer fixes most things

 

[wokka]

Kiwi's should get onto that I hear they have plenty possum.
Never tasted it myself I wonder what it tastes like.
You exported ostriches?

The processed meat of Ostrich, roo, Emu, Crocodile, Possum,Deer. Kiwi's also have Tuberculosis which limits many exports.

 

[Darlyn]

The processed meat of Ostrich, roo, Emu, Crocodile, Possum.Kiwi also have Tuberculosis which limits many exports.

So is/was ostrich farmed here?

 

[wokka]

So long as the animals being sold are captive bred or sustainably harvested
I see no problem at all in any of that marketing

There is a huge difference between sustainable use of a resource and what happens in the reptile product trade

Longi, i was adding to my prevoius post whilst you were posting. I imagine the wild harvest of reptiles in Asia is generally not sustainable but who are we to deprive them of their resource?Wild harvest of roos , crocs, possums in Australia could be done sustainably without the environmental impact of farming domestic animals.

- - - Updated - - -

So is/was ostrich farmed here?

Yes, we'll soon be in trouble for going off topic!

 

[Stuart]

No trouble as its interesting content, but would anyone mind if this was moved to chit chat section?

 

[Darlyn]

Sorry, thought the topic was international animal sales. Will curtail my nosiness

 

[longqi]

Longi, i was adding to my prevoius post whilst you were posting. I imagine the wild harvest of reptiles in Asia is generally not sustainable but who are we to deprive them of their resource?Wild harvest of roos , crocs, possums in Australia could be done sustainably without the environmental impact of farming domestic animals.

!

Western nations created the demand for snakeskin products
Only Western nations can slow down that demand

It wasnt that long ago that the top European fashion houses used seal cub fur
None of them even attempt to use to use it now
But those same fashion houses will continue to use reptile skin because nobody cares about reptiles

Profit from reptile skin is huge and growing bigger
But the catchers etc get the same money if the snake is just eaten at the local market
So their income will not be badly affected
The exporters will definitely lose money at the start
But China is insatiable and will quickly take up any slack anyway

 

[Davesgonefishin]

Honestly, as much as I don't like the idea of selling reptiles for meat, the west really does have a nerve when it comes to these things. I am sure Hindus, for example, find us eating cows deplorable. Do they start petitions imposing their opinions on us. Are we going to stop eating cows anytime soon so as not to offend another countries citizens sensibilities. It is high time we stopped sticking our noses into other peoples cultures and affairs, however wrong they may seem, and fix whats wrong in our own back yards.

Within reaon Kao - Different cultures but sometimes they may need to review their beliefs - tiger penis, rhino horn or whale - are these ok because its their belief? Yes these are illegal wild caught but none the less....

 

[KaotikJezta]

Within reaon Kao - Different cultures but sometimes they may need to review their beliefs - tiger penis, rhino horn or whale - are these ok because its their belief? Yes these are illegal wild caught but none the less....

That's true, but us sticking our noses in does nothing but cause resentment and makes matters worse. I used to live with a Chinese guy who told me tiger balm in China contained tiger bone, when I reacted negatively he became very indignant and basically told me China was the root of civilisation and we are just ignorant babies that like attacking other peoples thousand years old traditions.

 

[JrFear]

Within reaon Kao - Different cultures but sometimes they may need to review their beliefs - tiger penis, rhino horn or whale - are these ok because its their belief? Yes these are illegal wild caught but none the less....

Mmmmm tiger penis!