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http://www.physorg.com/news160321726.html

Report shows US wildlife trade poorly regulated

April 30th, 2009 Report shows US wildlife trade poorly regulated

"Tokay geckos from Indonesia are just one of thousands of wild animals imported into the United States, many of which are inaccurately labeled, endangering ecosystems and potentially threatening public health, scientists warn. Credit: Michael Yabsley/University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine"

"The effect, the scientists write in a paper in this week's issue of Science, is that a range of diseases is introduced into the United States, potentially decimating species, devastating ecosystems and threatening food supply chains and human health."

"The threat to public health is real. The majority of emerging diseases come from wildlife," said Smith, who is also a senior consultant at Wildlife Trust. "Most of these imported animals originate in Southeast Asia — a region shown to be a hotspot for these emerging diseases."

HR669 is now feeding it´s scientific basis. Will the reptile nation be able so to halt development?

http://www.physorg.com/news160321726.html

Through you, your animals can strangle the scientific credibility of HR669. If you keep reptiles, participate in stopping HR669. If you do not participate in halting HR669, then stop keeping reptiles YESTERDAY!

Kelp strangle PETA!
Gnarf ugh!
oby

I have been keeping imported reptiles for more than 20 years. I have yet to get any disease from any of my animals. What kind of hocus pocus science are these claims supposed to be based on?? I have been saying for years that simply going to college does not make you smart. They are producing some pretty expensive hamburger flippers.

That article is actually from last week. We are very aware of it and have written an in depth response to it. It is basically a regurgitation of "Broken Screens"(now known as the BS report) the report written by the Defenders of Wildlife for USFWS. This is the document HR669 was written from. Interestingly enough, even according to the BS report, reptiles represent the smallest fraction of invasive species introduced into the US; the largest portion being fish, plants and invertebrates; many of which were introduced by State or Federal agencies. Expect to see other similar pieces published. These folks are trying to fight back. Expect it. We will make our paper available for all to see and read soon.
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Andrew Wyatt
President USARK

Am I wrong in believing that every state in the contiguous United States that can possibly support a wild Black Bass population has been artificially stocked with Florida Hybrid Black Bass by the State Wildlife Agencies of those states?
I'm pretty sure those fish, deliberately created and intentionally introduced by Government and Government's Biologists, haven't done anything but degrade and damage the original indigenous aquatic populations. Example: Guadalupe Spotted Bass -- original pure gene pool extirpated through hybridization and competition.
Sold a lot of Bass Boats though.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

>>That article is actually from last week. We are very aware of it and have written an in depth response to it. It is basically a regurgitation of "Broken Screens"(now known as the BS report) the report written by the Defenders of Wildlife for USFWS. This is the document HR669 was written from. Interestingly enough, even according to the BS report, reptiles represent the smallest fraction of invasive species introduced into the US; the largest portion being fish, plants and invertebrates; many of which were introduced by State or Federal agencies. Expect to see other similar pieces published. These folks are trying to fight back. Expect it. We will make our paper available for all to see and read soon.
>>-----
>>Andrew Wyatt
>>President USARK
>>
Andrew,

You guys really need to consider putting together a PR department. Fill it with well written people to make regular "press releases" and send them to news papers nation wide. This is what the AR folks are doing and it serves them well. The herp crowd has a wide range of academics within its ranks that could provide very good quotes for releases. Just a thought...
Jason
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HCU
Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

Exactly right. A little positive press might go a long way as long as it is well supported with facts and not rhe rampant speculation and hysterical fervor that you get fron the AR groups. Highlight the positive aspects and consequences of maintaining herps.

Be proactive instead of reactive.

swiss

Jason,

Thank you! This is just as much, if not more, of a PR battle than a political/legislative one. And it's not like some of this junk science is hard to debunk. While we ALL should be
writing letters addressing the hysteria, it would also help immensely if credentialed, respected scientists were more outspoken and visible to the general public, who might be thinking that their beach house in Delaware will be overrun with
Burmese pythons in a few years.

Thanks,
Ed

>>You guys really need to consider putting together a PR department. Fill it with well written people to make regular "press releases" and send them to news papers nation wide. This is what the AR folks are doing and it serves them well. The herp crowd has a wide range of academics within its ranks that could provide very good quotes for releases. Just a thought...
>>Jason
>>-----
>>HCU
>>Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

I can´t wait to hear your statement. Keep up the good work Andrew.
I relay a thought from Z

Regrards
oby

I just read this;

TN station doing their own twist on SC Gabon story, injecting HR669 into it.
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/forums/Experts/43004

Now that most states ban big cats and to some owners transporting them across state lines is a felony too, venomous snakes are the next easy target to pass more bans, incremental dividing game. What these idiots are not getting is that HR 669 is supposed to be about invasive species, so far I don’t know of gabons taking over the USA. Why don’t they make some smelly invasive fishy story instead, the true invasive species. Hysteria to get hr669 passed, sad.
Snakes on the plane, give me a break, how many snakes (like big zero) killed humans on the plane in the US and how many people actually die in air crashes??? I hate idiots who can’t put things in perspective.

Z