Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I work in DC and I know the powers of lobbying and their influence. Its time we start one.

We see our "rights" being remove, and the rights of "land developers" being protected. We are not allowed to obtain native species, captive breed or otherwise, in the name of preservation while developers destroy their habitat.

Herpaculturist can offer much scientific and educational advancement to the study, propogation, and conservation of reptiles and amphibeans. The only way our voices get heard is through organization, at the national level. I don't know if some herp assocation wants to step forward or not, or if we must create something from scratch, but its time to organize. Otherwise, we will all be doing our hobby illegally or in a commercial vacuum.

Mark ledbetter

I don't understand how a national lobby would be beneficial since most restrictions are on the state level.

Whatever you could start up, I'd be privvy to it. I've seen and experienced too much during my herping adventures.

I started at the age of nine and am now thirty-nine. In the interim I've grown more conscious of the plight of herps.

One thing that needs to be protected is how the species is being sold, golf courses and runoff; we need to look at making an organization to enact some kind of laws regarding the reptile trade/business; and there needs to be better monitoring of those petshop handlers of turtles.

As far as habitat destruction, I don't know what to do. But I'll join in whatever way I can.

Agreed. Laws are variant from state to state. Many make no sense either but they do vary greatly depending on where you live.

The sale of turtles under 4 inches in a Federal law though.

In recent years there WAS lobby to protect the rights of herpetoculturists (who are often treated more brutally than drug dealers and murderers by our justice system). Does anyone remember the name of this organization?? I have forgotten.

A national lobby would help coordinate turtle hobbyist in different states to put pressure on local and state governments. There are often too few turtle hobbyist in most states to be effective.

A national lobby could also be a source to provide a "certification" on breeders who de genuinely captive breed turtles. A "certified" turtle could then be sold in a state where the turtles are known to be protected. There can be different types of certification for those legally wild caught for places where it is legal to do so. States would then match the number of certified documentation with the numbers of turtles possessed. This way we could determine those that are taken from the wild illegally and those obtained legally.

A national lobby could help organize events and people between states to "save" reptiles in areas planned for development.

A national lobby is a more effective way to promote education, an has more tools to lobby congress, monitor legal developments, and manage other issues at a national scale.

There are many benefits of an association.

Mark