Hello,
First of all...I want to say that you have asked a wonderful question. Please take the time to read this post for a wonderful answer....
Wild Collected Imports support species survival.
There are plenty of things wrong about not being able to import wild collected reptiles.
You would not have Dwarf Burmese, Albino Burmese, Hypo Burmese or any of those awesome Ball Python morphs etc. if wild collected reptiles were not allowed to be imported.
In many countries native snakes are only valued for their skin and/or meat.
By allowing these animals to be imported you give them another chance at life.
Imported reptiles add to the captive gene pool.
There are several species of reptiles that are not allowed to be imported...in each of these species, inbreeding is now a major concern. Often the animals face problems of habitat destruction in their natural ranges. By importing wild collected animals, you insure that there is fresh genetic stock to continue their existence....at least in captivity. Could they ever be re-introduced to the wild? That remains to be seen.
But you cannot re-introduce what you have already allowed to become extinct.
Lets look at what is good about continuing to import wild collected animals.
Let me give you a few examples...
Golden Toads (Bufo periglenes)
If it had been legal to collect wild Golden Toads for commercial export to professional herpetoculturists, we would likely have saved them from extinction.
Instead they were "protected" to death.
By not allowing amphibian enthusiasts a chance to work on breeding these rare toads, we have literally insured their demise. Conservation through Commercialization works!
Here is how it works:
Put a high price on the first (FEW) rare wild caught import Golden Toads...this essentially keeps the threatened animals out of the hands of the less experienced keepers...and gives those who are most experienced the chance to successfully breed them in captivity. (Also generating funds from the issuing of the collection permits)
Having captive produced larvae is the best hope for survival and future potential reintroduction, once the problem in their native habitat has been more carefully researched.
Once you have a sustainable captive population..
Allow the breeders to sell these captive bred toads on the open market....since they are rare, they will command a substantial price. A portion of the funds generated from the licenses and sales should then be used for research and reintroduction programs.
Soon the animals will become more common in captivity. And this will relieve any pressures for the desire of large numbers of wild collected imports. The captive breeding success would fuel the success of the reintroduction projects. As well, it would have given scientists a chance to study a species, it's habitat and it's reasons for decline.
Instead...they were not allowed to be collected at all.
And now they have little chances of survival (if they are not already extinct.)
Bearded Dragons (Pogona viticeps)...
There are likely more bearded dragons hatched captivity (outside of Australia) than inside of Australia in the wild. Most of the Bearded Dragons in the pet trade originated from animals that were purchased and imported from breeders in Germany and in the Czech Republic. Where did the Europeans get them? Most were likely smuggled out of Australia (which has blanket laws that ban import and export of flora or fauna.)
Smuggling is not the way to go about obtaining animals...
However, these few smuggled Bearded Dragons have created a huge population of wonderful pets that help to educate many people who are new to reptiles.
What did Australia lose? It lost the ability to capitalize on legally exporting a few animals at high prices. It lost the opportunity to utilize that capital to further the research about their own herpetofauna and fund the protection of crucial habitat. It lost the chance to be the government that fostered an education for millions of people about a wonderful animal that is only native to Australia....which also happens to make a good pet. They could continue to export small number of fresh stock to insure that inbreeding is not a concern. By practicing such ideas instead of Blanket Laws that forbid Import and Export, their government would eliminate existence of a black market in Australian Wildlife.
THAT is how you REALLY protect your wildlife!
Here is another one...
The Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus)
Native to New Caledonia.
I would be willing to bet that you can waltz into a pet store in nearly every major city across the USA and find a Crested Gecko available for sale. They simply thrive in captivity...they are wonderfully entertaining and education pets.
A little history...they were once thought to be extinct.
I attended the International Herpetological Society meeting in 1995 and met with Philippe DeVosjoli who gave a wonderful presentation about the rediscovery of this gecko species. They were granted the licenses to export several different species of geckos in the Rhacodactylus genus.
These proved to be very hardy and productive captives. They are the forefathers of every Crested, Gargoyle, Leachie and Suras Gecko that you have ever seen! These first few wild collected animals allowed us to learn about live birth in geckos from the Rough Snouted Gecko (Rhacodactylus trachyrhynchus).
ALL of these species are threatened due to habitat destruction on their native islands of New Caledonia. But you would not think it possible by looking at the captive population here in the USA and in Europe. We have had banner success with these geckos in captivity. I can guarantee that there is NO black market for R. ciliatus now! We have literally saved them from the brink of extinction. Habitat loss is the major threat to many different species in the wild...not Import/Export. In fact it was a group of loggers (taking down trees) who showed that group of collectors where to find the habitat of those first few Crested Geckos.
Trade in wild collected reptiles for the pet industry has never caused any species to become either extinct or even threatened.
One major threat IS habitat destruction.
I studied Herpetology under Dr. Steven Werman (Co-author of the Biology of Pit Vipers) I have taught herpetology for nearly 20 years. I could go on and on with more examples of why the commercial trade in wild collected Import reptiles is NOT something to ban. But I will close with this...
In my previous post I mentioned the Turtle Crisis. Asian Turtles species are being wiped out by over collection...NOT over collection for the Pet Industry....but for the Table Market. Humans are eating them into extinction. This should not be considered over collection....but over predation.
Importing wild turtles may be to only way to save them.
Importing wild animals does not have a negative impact on native populations. Most countries issue export quotas. They decide how may permits are issued based on the populations of the species in question.
This data is provided by biologists.
It is what sets the initial prices for the animals themselves. The countries that export wildlife begin to see these animals a more valuable than meat and skins.
Instead they become a valued renewable resource. A resource that they wish to protect. Without a value...they will again become bush meat...or merely innocent casualties amidst habitat destruction. The values of the animals WE Import give indigenous people a reason to protect the animals and the precious habitat.
I hope this was an informative answer.
Please feel welcome to call me if you have any questions.
Thanks again.
Your friend,
Harlin Wall - WALL TO WALL REPTILES!
970-245-7611
970-255-9255
