Thoughts on Collecting

[snakeguy101]

I have noticed that everyone on this site seems to be very anti- collecting and just wanted to get a better idea of your point of view.

I collect from the wild (in small numbers) and on occasion will keep/ sell/ trade what I have caught. Usually it would only be an exceptional specimen or a unique color morph that I would collect but I feel that on occasion, wild animals MUST be captured in order to introduce new blood into captive collections.

For instance, Texas rat snakes are very inbred which has led to a deformity where the eyes of many specimen protrude more than they should. This on its own may not seem too bad but if continued without intervention, the inbreeding could potentially become a serious problem. This is why new specimen should be caught from the wild to help spur on the captive population.

My favorite way of thinking about this is to imagine that if an animal becomes popular enough as a pet then it will no longer have any worries as far as extinction goes. "Conservation through Commercialization". An example of this would be bearded dragons. Not so many years ago they were declining in numbers in Australia when several hundred were illegally imported into the US. From then on, there have been no problems with this animal because it is now breed in captivity by more than just zoos but the common hobbyist as well. This means that even if there was some sort of disaster in the wild, there would be a sufficient amount of these animals in captivity to insure their survival.

Tell me what you guys think, I am open to both sides.
Not trying to argue, just trying to get a real discussion going.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

its necessary at times

 

[Swampy459]

Every single animal in captivity today is descended from wild caught animals.

There is nothing wrong with collecting for the right reasons, if it is done mindfully and with the intentions to breed - thus reducing stress on wild populations by producing captive bred animals.

I do have a problem with people who collect and sell every animal they find though.

 

[coreyweinkoetz]

I am for it for most the reasons you stated but

This means that even if there was some sort of disaster in the wild, there would be a sufficient amount of these animals in captivity to insure their survival.

I think we have to be careful here in the way rereleaseing is used the one case I can think of to use as a point right now would be the Florida panther My last trip to the glades area was last year and the impression I got from two different park officers was that the captive breeding which included unfortunately a lot of in breeding and out crossing with the south and central puma ended up killing the true Florida panther DNA so now they where already lead to believe that the Florida panther has already sircome to extinction.
and
of course TV will tell you that it wasn't fish and wildlife but it was all the pet mountain lions that were let go by irresponsible pet keepers and the cages that where destroyed by hurricane Andrew sounds to me like the same bell and whistles there playing now again.

 

[Mike D]

there are certain reasons that make it ok. introducing new blood and such is a good one.. as well as helping wild populatiions to keep on going.

i am against people who will go out and take something to go and "live" with them as a pet for a year or so and then people just setting them back free. thats is where i have to draw the line.

its a touchy topic. hard to draw the line.

 

[krzr3000]

I don't have a concrete stance. But to say its necessary to keep the species out of extinction is kind of interesting. Captive programs that result in the eventual release of the animals back into the wild to re-establish the population is great if it works out. But to preserve the species so they can live in a breeder rack on paper towels isn't what i think of as being proactive in keeping the species alive.

 

[gigas12]

Hi,I agree with Mike D!

 

[jason longboard]

Just to jump in with a short. Take the Mojave desert area, now their are crows out their snatching up every little herp they can find. They get a lot of ppl out their without a license and they just keep going out and taking stuff. How fast do these things breed compared to how fast ppl snatch them along with the crows and other predators. You hardly see squat at some of these places anymore. Im not done lol, just for now. Ive got both sides, but this I just mentioned bugs me.

 

[kenC56]

I agree collecting is important. But I believe you should need a license, something like a fishing license where you have a limit. Some poeple just go over board and there needs to be a limit.

 

[Louie]

I go herping but have never taken from the wild. I did set out to collect a scarlet and after finding a few in same square mile area. I found a real pretty one but felt bad and put it back.

I don't think anything wrong with collecting if its an animal that is not in trouble . Many collectors are vampires who take anything and everything because its free while destroying rocky areas and foilage.

That doesn't apply to anyone here but it does apply to enough that I have seen.