The CITES numbers specify live imports, but the numbers appear to be **higher** than the USFWS numbers. I dunno, but I'll think about it more later on. It may be something simple that I'm missing.


One thing could be that the cites number your looking at is the quota number and not the actual export number, For example the cites people might issue permits to export 10,000 farmed / ranched animals, exporters will buy / get all the quota but they might only ship x amount from that quota, that's a possible explanation. I have no doubt that cites records animal exports that never happened becuse of this practice. The Cites organization is pretty much a mess. Im not saying thats the case proof positive but it is a possibility. Overall the numbers look right to me. There were a few years that lot of baby burms came in, nobody was breeding them. The last few years I would be surprised if more then 3 to 5k(per year)were actually imported, maybe less.

Im not possitive I dont check very often but I dont think theres country in the world that currently issues cites permits for burms to be used as skins, meat etc. Only live farmed/CB permits.Dont get me wrong,you can easily get around this for special occasions, and none of these county's stop killing the snakes they just have to launder them.

ERNIE EISON
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.

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