Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had the occassion recently to view a number of herp wholesaler lists. I was troubled to see the hundreds and in some cases thousands of wild caught reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates imported on an almost weekly basis.

Can anyone explain how these dealers are able to capture and import thousands of animals on a weekly basis? I assume that the countries that these animals are exported from out of must be almost completly unregulated?

Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you.

I'm sure someone else can chime in here on this because i haven't been involved with exporting/importing for several years, but......the term that still comes up is " blanket permits " that enables certain people/companies/wholesalers to import. There has been discussions on this in the past and presently on another web site. I think the numbers are actually down from a decade ago on really how many animals be it reptiles or any other animal can be collected and imported/exported. There is some restrictions on the numbers of animals leaving country as well. Take the ball python and boa constrictor. There was a time that 100s of thousands of balls left countries of origin and true on boas as well. Those numbers have been drastically reduced. Although one ploy that was used was the one of " farms " where the animal was supposedly held and dropped offsprings that was offered instead of mass collecting. I believe it has concerned the iguanas family now also. There is also a " period " of time that allows animals to be shipped out of country in some of these places. I think this period might also coincide with the numbers of allowed. I have price list that are 20/30/more years ago that would make your head spin in numbers of wild caught offered and price of. Someone did a precise scenario on this subject and while it was a tad out dated NOW, it still reflected those huge numbers with some being fairly recent in years.

Thanks for your insight. What is the other website were issues like this are being discussed?

In your opinion, to curtail this type of activity, each country would need to impart strict regulations? Would it be easier if CITES imparted regulations? Basically, I'd like to see what could be done to stop this. I'm sure its a daunting task.

setting aside that there is the wheel of motion of monies from the original collector on up, supply and demand would certainly halt some of this. As with all things though, time and events of times will change and either this situation will fade away or just plain decimate populations of wilds. I know that seeing what has happened in the BP and Boa and maybe a lot of the python world has lessen the impact on wild caught ( probably some argument here though ). I mean back 20 years ago and a few more, there was VERY little offered captive bred of the above compared to now. The one reptile that i can think of that probably still is exclusively imported that SHOULD have a restriction on is the common green iguana. Not only because of the masses imported but the category of still being in the " throw away pet syndrome " ! Not really meaning tossed out but many animal control agencies getting them in by either people giving them up or actually letting them go. It seems that any animal/reptile rescue or adoption agency whether it is a reptile society or what has always iguanas. Mostly this is due to the un-educated buyers and the trouble that iguanas can cause with age and size and not to mention some of that bacterial problems that iguanas come with. Sorry that my opinions are not very legal in mind or addressing the legality part of importing.

You mentioned another website were issues such as this are/were being discussed. What site is that?

I absolutly agree with you on the green iguana issue. Everyone iguana should be sold with a copy of Hatfield's book.