I've been keeping reptiles since I was 11, and I've owned many species. I see pro's and con's with both sides, but what u have to realize is the impact we have on the world's ecosystems. Tho we ( as pet owners, breeders, and collectors) are not the main problem, we are a big factor. Ther are many species on the verge of extinction due to the pet trade.
Its true that when a particular species starts being captured in the wild and exported for the pet trade, we are direct responsables by its decline. However in the long turn(that is if a copple of experienced guys find the ways to breed it wich happens the most of the times) our houses became a "safe haven" for that species and if something happens in the animal´s natural habitat that puts that particular species in danger we see the importance of this hobby besides the pet porpouse (and often we breed the animals much sooner than zoos do
) Lets face it, now there are probably more green iguanas, bearded dragons, corn snakes and leopard geckos than ever before. Their comon animals but what about the rarer or even extinct in the wild or allmost extinct in the wild that are making a amazing come back thanks to the fact that someone bred them as pets. Chinese crocodile lizards, crested geckos, sulcatas(yes they were once very rare
) many asian turtles, rhinocerus iguanas and so many more. Some remain very expensive but others are afortable. And if any of them for some reason becames extinct in the wild we still have ours(wich for example will very likely happen in the near future for like 80% of the asian turtle species
) and perhaps we can bring them back into the wild
Invasive species like: Red Ear Sliders, House Geckos, Lionfish, Bullfrogs, Burmese Pythons, Blue Anoles, And Green Anoles, have pushed native species close to the edge. Being introduced into areas were they have no natural enemies, they out-compete native species, cause genetic pollution, and spread disease.
First of green anoles are NATIVE of Florida, Texas and other southern states and so not invasive. Second of the species that you present only the bull frog is corrently pushing endemic frog species to the edge in places like California and Arizona. They are native to the southern states were they dont cause any damage. The rest (except for the house gecko and pherhaps the blue anole wich we dont consider invasive because it fills a ecologic nich diferent from the native green anole and so doesant presents danger to him) we SUSPECT they may cause harmufull efects in the native species, BUT none are corrently pushing ANY species to the edge and they all have both predators and competitors. The burmese python in the Everglades has, specialy young ones (like in their native asia) to wach out for birds of prey, florida puma, aligator snappers and aligators. The young ones have lots of enemys and the grown up have few just like in their native habitat
The Harvesting of wild species for importation has left many populations dwindling, Grey-cheeked Parakeets, Yellow-billed Parrots, Red-Crowned Parrots, Painted Terrapins, Black Pond Turtles, and Black Spiny-Tailed Lizards are all victims of severe population decline due to over-harvesting for the pet trade.
But that same colection may just save them one day
Like it happened to the blue spix macow(even if it remains in the very edge of obliteracion at least it has a chance)
Disease is another factor, The Chytrid Fungus (the worst infectious disease ever recorded among wildlife in terms of the number of species impacted and the severity of the impact) has been slaughtering the amphibian populations around the world, the main cause is global warming, but recently a secondary cause was found, Thats right us. The pet trade has helped spread this disease, to areas of the world that may have never been affected, (kinda like smallpox did to the Mayans and Native Americans).
yup we really have to be carefull regarding bull frogs and clawed frogs the main carriers of the disease. However be warned that we aint the main giltys, bull frogs are world wide used in frog farms for food and clawed frogs were also imported in large quantitys because they were used on pregnency tests. The pet trade aint to blame on this ones
Think about it would u rather see ur pets happy and healthy in there native habitats, rather than stuffed in ur aquariums and terrariums. I am in no way innocent, nor do I claim to be. The only pets I buy now are rescued or captive-bred.
I think I rater see my turtles alive then being "free" and then some day a china boy comes and rips their head wille they are still alive and cooks them, thank you very much
Over-all I think this Bill will help us rather than hurt us, as enthusiasts of the hobby,
I think this bill is too restricting, we go from white to black, why not some grey insted
