Your right on there, in fact The herp society I am with does outreach educational shows and even presnts an annual scholarship to our state science fair (Only $200. But we're a small club). The problem is the good we do is often overlooked and one Newsworthy snakebite can kill a ton of good. The biggest danger lyes in the side shots that these groups take. They cut up little by little so rarely more than a small group is effected.

A prime example is the proposed Boiga Ban. How many herpers out there said "It's not something I work with so why bother?" How many got the word out to the breeders and importers? Down here (In Florida) we have an active letter writting campaign going and they guy I heard the news from is busy in New Jersey. What amazes me is how few breeders I run into even know it's happening!! And yet if you go to the webpage for the North American Brown Tree Snake Team they are allready trying (the next step)to put any snake that looks like a Boiga on the ban as well. It sets up legal grounds to include any other snake, fish, bird or whatever is deemed an "Enviromental Hazard" into the Lacey Act which means NO MORE!!! Have you looked into this? It was posted on the venomous Forum. If you want I can Email you a copy of the response we are circulating.

We are our own worst enemy Because as a group we do nothing except write about our latest aquisition or what ever problem we have at home with our stock. Our anger (mine too) is wasted on silly issues that we post on these forums (How About all the energy wasted on the "Hybrid" arguement on the kingsnake forum? Your right. We will lose our rights here due to apathy. Because no one will raise a hand till it hits them personally....and then it's TOO LATE.

Frank

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