As far as I am informed this regulation as in Italy etc. is not the case in
UK. And to keep an island safe is not the real problem compared to
continental land. The point is about substitution. Why did and do people get
e.g. crested newts from outside the UK? Cause they are not allowed to have
native ones! And why? Cause of environmental pressure groups who in general
have no idea about what they are really doing. It4s policy, not protecting
nature.
You are absolutely right with the fatal cross-breeding! But this is the
point to me: Why force people to maintain salamandras from eastern Europe
only to have the so-called "environmentalist/animalist fraction keep
satisfied? If the native/local subspecies where allowed, nobody would get a
specimen from elsewhere of the same subspecies. Most problems of
cross-breeding is caused by "environmentalist" transferring populations/
specimen to other locations to "save them". This happens all the time and to
an extend much higher than by pet keepers.
> There have been similar problems caused by escaped Alpine and Marbled
Newts,
> each of which can potentially hybridise with UK species. So who is the
cause
> of such legislation, over-zealous authorities or people more interested in
> indulging some perception of their own liberty without accepting the
> responsibility involved?
>
> Also, if we look at Salamandra, this prevents anyone keeping threatened
native
> subspecies (possibly illegally collected form the wild) and trying to claim
> that they are in fact from somewhere else. The alternative would involve
> costly and protracted investigations to prove their origin which act as a
> drain on already scarce resources. Cases have been known where people
> collected wild stock from threatened populations because with unbelieveable
> arrogance they felt that they alone 'knew better' than existing
conservation
> efforts. When looked at further some of these individuals have proved to
have
> been rejected by conservation bodies because they show no interest in
> following the guidelines. The real shame is, some of these individuals
> undoubtedly had valuable husbandry skills, but purely because of their own
> inability to work in a team they were too much of a liability.
NO NATIVE SPECIES of NEWTS OR SALAMANDERS NOWHERE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS
ENDANGERED BY PET HOBBYISTS!
Sorry, but I cannot take this again and again and again repeated mock
anymore. Threats only result from destruction or deterriation of habitats.
And pollution. No other reasons detectable. Only in the weird fantasy of
environmental hypocrits!
Do you have an idea how dense the populations of e.g. Salamandra atra are?
Experts in herpetology state them as "filled to the maximum". This as long
as there are no skiers in winter, no building of hotels or roads or whatever
and no excavation of gravel. Same with any species/subspecies of salamandra
in Europe. Now you!
> I'm sure that if anyone was dedicated enough to go through the appropriate
> procedures they would be able to take part in captive breeding efforts for
any
> particular species, but they would have to observe the protocols set down.
The what you call "procedures" are just a placebo for the public! None and
never authorities prove any case, any paper, any origine - even the attempt
would be impossible as the laws and regulations are younger than the hobby
and the costs of a proper control system would excced those for the chunnel.
Nobody hardly cared for newts and salamanders as long as they where free to
take. Now they are "endangered" (which in fact most aren4t and those which
are not by collecting) and face interest around the world. What4s this? It4s
marketing, it4s collector4s spirit and other motivations. Only very, very
few people are really interested in them. And especially not
environmentalists. Mapping and monitoring of salamanders and newts is done
by hobbyists. The "environmentalists" only care for birds and mammals and
spectacular groups or species. Other than that they won4t get enough
donations. Hello Greenpeace Inc. stockholder enterprises. Know how much
money these and others have been given and how little they have spent of it
for natures benefit? It4s annoying.
And for captive breeding projects: Where are they? And if present, who is
behind them? The public? Authorities? Make me laugh!
Final example: The breeding station for Comodo Dragons wanted to sell raised
offspring to Germany. It was rejected by our authorities. But the offspring
by that is in danger of being fed to the adults as they where overstock.
Congratulations burocrazy!
Please, don4t take it personal!
Steffen
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