Barry,

You are obviously not a very intelligent person. Name calling doesn’t get anyone anywhere. Most people start name calling when they don’t have anything intelligent to say. I am an educated and experienced person, Barry. I have been in the herp field professionally since 1986 so I have over 20 years of experience in this field. I am the former head of the Herpetology Department at the Central Florida Zoo (where I bred turtles). I have completed my AS in Zoo Animal Technology, my BS in Wildlife Science and I am now completing my Masters in Environmental Policy and Management with a Certificate in GIS. I have done field research for the University of Florida, The Florida Museum of Natural History, The University of Central Florida and The University of Alabama. I have also worked for researchers at Brown University and The University of North Carolina to name a few. So who is an idiot, Barry?

Barry, do you know how to read? Do you know how to comprehend English? If you did you would know that I DO NOT support over-collection. If you read my post you would have comprehended that. I support sustainable harvest and every species can be harvested in a sustainable manner. It looks to me like you need to educate yourself about animal populations and harvest. You obviously don’t know much about it. I said or implied they are usually not eating box turtles and map turtles (not sliders, Barry). Most of the US turtle exports feeding the demand in China are snappers, softshells, sliders and cooters. So I think you need to get the facts straight yourself. Your first lesson is reading and comprehension.

Now here is your lesson on Constitutionality. We are guaranteed many things under the US Constitution. One of them is the pursuit of happiness. Another is our right to commerce and conduct business. Another is our right to free speech. Another is certain rights to fairness. Again, Barry, do you know why the animal rights movement does not push things at the Federal level? Because there are constitutionality issues with that approach. Check out the Michigan State Animal Law website at www.animallaw.info. There is an article on there that talks about this fact. Educate yourself before you embarrass yourself like this on a public forum.

Finally, if the demand is that strong for turtle meat then the captive production of turtle meat will become a reality. That is a fact that you will have to face. This will require founder stock and harvest will be allowed (in a sustainable manner) to accomplish this. You can hoot and holler and call names all you want. Money can get you anything you want. It can get you politicians. So you can live in your fantasy world all you want. But you know who will get screwed out of this? The hobbyists, collectors and breeders that are not in the food game. That is who will get screwed. If commercial sale is banned then you are SOL. It has happened in many states and the rest are sure to follow. I sure hope you don’t get screwed up where you live. You may find that for your next 20 years you are an ex-turtle breeder. Good luck with that, dude, and happy studying

Welkerii
El Paso, TX

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