Imported herps have been coming into the U.S. for over 50 years in big numbers. Twenty-five years ago or so HUGE numbers of mammals including primates were coming in as well. The fact that the most injurious organisms [fire ants, zebra mussels, brown anoles, cuban treefrogs, Marine Toads, etc] were in fact NOT imports from the Pet Trade speaks volumes. Boiga irregularis on Guam probably got there as stow-a-ways as well certainly they were NOT imported as pets. In spite of all these millions upon millions of animals very few have become established anywhere even here in Miami and there are NO diseases I'm aware of spread to wildlife or humans because of imported wildlife. The fact is that invasive plants have done far MORE damage than any wildlife. Look at Melaleauca, potato vine, kudzu, brazilian peppers, water hyacinth, etc. These CHANGE the entire ecosystem NOT just eat or compete with some of the native wildlife. Very little is said about these when you look at the hoopla with Burmese Pythons for example. I think all this is a response designed to alarm the public at large so certain special interest groups can spread their mindless propaganda and finally destroy the pet trade once and for all. I believe all these threats they allude to are very low risk to the ecosytems here. In fact so much so if you look at the past that this whole movement is way out of proportion to actual events that might occur....
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Tom Crutchfield

www.tomcrutchfield.com

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