I've been told personally that the reason is that the bloodlines are so well represented that production of more is not favorable to the long term survival of the species. Secondly regarding the Fiji Iguana's all of them including progeny technically still belong to Fiji and must never be traded, placed on loan, sold, etc where anyone else actually would retain ownership of the lizards. Any institution receiving Fiji's must agree to the ZOO'S terms before a loan is made. I believe the KOMODO DRAGON reasons are because all bloodlines here are heavily represented and there has been several discussions on the immediate destruction of viable eggs as soon as they're laid by several institutions. I personally discussed the Fiji Isle Iguana issues while sitting in the General Curator's office along with Tom Schultz, then the Curator of Reptiles. At the time I was purchasing all the excess Galapogus Tortoises both adults and juveniles from the Zoo. I think if they intend to destroy eggs or babies they shouldn't breed them in the first place. At the time I had CBW'S for all reptiles listed as Boidae, Iguanadae, etc not a specific one as they now issue. This is NOTHING NEW and has been going on for years. There is a book at the publisher now spelling out in detail some of these unbelievable policies and about myself and a few others that were involved with ZOO'S REGARDING THE AQUISITION OF REPTILES FOR THEIR COLLECTIONS. I believe it is illegal under the Endangered Species Act to carry out these policies as it requires intentional destruction of these Appendix 1 herps. There are some individuals in the private sector that have the knowledge, space, and facilities to take these unwanted progeny but that is a cardinal NO NO and I was told it wouldn't happen. Personally I believe it's similar to the Radiated Tortoise situation. Once the private sector received them the price on them has dropped because now radiata are very common. The ZOO'S do not want Fiji's, Komodo's or similar high profile herps to be in private hands because shortly they would be common as well. I am only RELATING personal knowledge as well as published articles about the Komodo's. I think it's terrible that this has went on in the past and likely still is happening....
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Tom Crutchfield

www.tomcrutchfield.com

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