A
Anonymous
Guest
I have spent most of my life as a conservationist. I performed Wildlife rehabilitation growing up with my father and shared this pursuit with my girlfriend and now wife Ivy. We also worked together in the Biology field working to preserve endangered species, I worked primarily with Primates and Ivy with Large cats.
In working with Primates one of the key functions was to educate people and governments of how the animals were Legally collected. You see I worked with and gathered a worldwide survey on Howler monkeys. It was also reported by Importers that the monkeys were netted and brought in humanely, and of course that local villagers hunted the monkeys for food. The importers through lobbying performed by many of the pet trade organizations kept supressing reports of the contrary. It was finally brought to light that the monkeys were caught by shooting the mother carrying an infant on her back and then taking the infant knowing it would not run from its dead mother. Only 8 out of 10 baby monkeys survived the fall. This is how the collection was done for many years mostly due to Importers having so much say in how the pet trade was run and also how the animals were captured. Many years before this was how chimps where collected until it became too high profile of an animal. To try to bring about change the importers were not allowed to participate in any legislation of the trade of primates.
I also through my time with conservation groups am aware of many of the same things that happen with other species.
Parrots have always been a big part of the trade and recently one of the most respected importers of Parrots was jailed and severely fined for the smuggling of exotic endangered species. Again Harry Sissen was a leader in psittacine breeding and importing. He became so trusted that he was able to cause some unbelievable damage to nearly extinct birds. Again allowing importers to become too involved in the trade.
Harry Sissen Jailed
Reptiles have become a huge trade and again one of the largest importers who first traded legally and then traded illegally has been jailed. In a conference in Orlando the whole structure of reptile trade is being reviewed and the role importers serve.
Wong Jailed, "This case underscores the tremendous growth in both the legal and illegal live reptile trades"
You see I do not believe that importers should be looked at as bad because most of them are very legitimate business owners who live by a sense of moral right. History has shown that when importers are allowed to be an integral part of the animal trade that they conduct the buying and selling of animals in, sooner or later it will end in a devastating loss of that species of animals.
Reefs.orgs decision to open a forum and have it moderated by an importer is a breach of all that I have spent time in the conservation of endangered animals.
You see Mary Middlebrook may be a swell person but when any animal trade organization begins to structure itself with Importers in a position of influence it may not be Mary but history will repeat itself and I will not be a part of it.
In the Ban Of Wild Harvesting in Australia thread Mary made it very clear that she fully supports the ongoing collection of animals without regulation and has tried to get the support of people to supress legislation that is designed to protect species. I have been through this far too many times to not know the road it leads to.
Although I will not be around to see it, I hope that the moderaters of this board do not close this thread too quickly as I have not mis-stated any facts.
Goodbye to my friends on this board.
[ December 05, 2001: Message edited by: Fishaholic ]</p>
In working with Primates one of the key functions was to educate people and governments of how the animals were Legally collected. You see I worked with and gathered a worldwide survey on Howler monkeys. It was also reported by Importers that the monkeys were netted and brought in humanely, and of course that local villagers hunted the monkeys for food. The importers through lobbying performed by many of the pet trade organizations kept supressing reports of the contrary. It was finally brought to light that the monkeys were caught by shooting the mother carrying an infant on her back and then taking the infant knowing it would not run from its dead mother. Only 8 out of 10 baby monkeys survived the fall. This is how the collection was done for many years mostly due to Importers having so much say in how the pet trade was run and also how the animals were captured. Many years before this was how chimps where collected until it became too high profile of an animal. To try to bring about change the importers were not allowed to participate in any legislation of the trade of primates.
I also through my time with conservation groups am aware of many of the same things that happen with other species.
Parrots have always been a big part of the trade and recently one of the most respected importers of Parrots was jailed and severely fined for the smuggling of exotic endangered species. Again Harry Sissen was a leader in psittacine breeding and importing. He became so trusted that he was able to cause some unbelievable damage to nearly extinct birds. Again allowing importers to become too involved in the trade.
Harry Sissen Jailed
Reptiles have become a huge trade and again one of the largest importers who first traded legally and then traded illegally has been jailed. In a conference in Orlando the whole structure of reptile trade is being reviewed and the role importers serve.
Wong Jailed, "This case underscores the tremendous growth in both the legal and illegal live reptile trades"
You see I do not believe that importers should be looked at as bad because most of them are very legitimate business owners who live by a sense of moral right. History has shown that when importers are allowed to be an integral part of the animal trade that they conduct the buying and selling of animals in, sooner or later it will end in a devastating loss of that species of animals.
Reefs.orgs decision to open a forum and have it moderated by an importer is a breach of all that I have spent time in the conservation of endangered animals.
You see Mary Middlebrook may be a swell person but when any animal trade organization begins to structure itself with Importers in a position of influence it may not be Mary but history will repeat itself and I will not be a part of it.
In the Ban Of Wild Harvesting in Australia thread Mary made it very clear that she fully supports the ongoing collection of animals without regulation and has tried to get the support of people to supress legislation that is designed to protect species. I have been through this far too many times to not know the road it leads to.
Although I will not be around to see it, I hope that the moderaters of this board do not close this thread too quickly as I have not mis-stated any facts.
Goodbye to my friends on this board.
[ December 05, 2001: Message edited by: Fishaholic ]</p>
