Group lobbying for possible Amphibian pet trade ban in US

[John]

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

Group lobbying for possible Amphibian pet trade ban in the US
by Dr. John P. Clare - FrogForum.net, London, UK - Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Controversial US charity Defenders of Wildlife have made some progress in their attempt to regulate all trade in amphibians in the US, including import, export, and inter-state trade. The group hit international headlines in 2009 due to their media campaign against what they termed the “extreme anti-conservation policies” of then Alaskan governor Sarah Palin who was noted for her support of the shooting of wolves from helicopters – so-called aerial hunting.

In September 2009, Defenders of Wildlife lobbied the US Department of the Interior and the US Department of Agriculture to follow the recommendation of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to monitor and control two diseases found in frogs and other amphibians like salamanders.

One of the diseases, the chytrid fungus - scientific name Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or “B.d” – has hit the headlines many times since its discovery about 10 years ago. The fungus has been implicated in the extinction of several species of amphibian and as a likely culprit in the decimation of populations of many others. The disease has been spread throughout the world by accidental and intentional release of alien amphibians by humans.

Within the US itself, scientists acknowledge that the disease is widespread. One US research scientist commented on Monday, “Lawmakers are coming to this problem at a very late stage in the spread of the disease. Chytrid is widespread throughout the US and there’s very little we can do about it. Any new regulation, even implemented today, comes too late to have much tangible benefit. Should new laws come into effect, the best we can hope for is to limit the spread of new strains and to monitor its presence in wild populations of amphibians.” Many scientists throughout the world are currently involved in monitoring and surveying for the disease in wild populations of frogs and salamanders in an attempt to understand how it spreads, which amphibians are vulnerable, and what, if anything, we can do to fight the disease.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently announced their intention to publish a notice in the US Federal Register to solicit public comment and feedback on the proposal. This will likely take place in the coming months.

Meanwhile, enthusiasts of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and other amphibians have reacted sharply to the situation, citing recent attempts by US lawmakers to regulate the trade in constrictor snakes as being nothing short of ban legislation as far as the average citizen is concerned. Hobbyists have voiced their concern that rather than implement appropriate regulation, state and federal legislators have preferred to attempt outright bans.

We here at FrogForum will of course keep you updated on this debate as it progresses.


Further reading:

• Defenders of Wildlife document "The Role of Trade in the Amphibian Crisis"
• US Fish and Wildlife Service announces plan to solicit public opinion on proposed regulation of Amphibian Trade
• International Amphibian Charity Amphibian Ark's reading of the current stage of the Defenders of Wildlife lobby
• Dart Frog hobbyist uproar over the proposal
• Newt and Salamander enthusiasts discuss the situation

[Socrates]

See this is another example of people over reacting and NOT thinking. The problem of Chytrid is not because of people raising and keeping amphibians. The fungus is present every world in the world and has been probably for centuries.

John if you would like I wrote scientific review article over Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. It's long, but I assure you I did an excellent job on it and have a full page of around 15-20 references that I used. Let me know, because maybe it could be posted under a link or something.

[Kurt]

Before signing on here tonight I read Amphibian Ark's proposal and from what I can gather there is no ban being proposed. What is being proposed is regulation of amphibian trade in and out of the country. Under the proposal, amphibians shipments will be tested for Bd and ranivirus. I have no problem with this. My question I will ask when the time comes is, what happens when a shipment tests positive? Will the animals be treated or destroyed?
I think with the proposed regulation, that we will be receiving higher quality/healthier amphibians. They may be a little bit more expensive then before, but at least the risk of sick animals will deminish a little bit.

The outright ban on large Boids is wrong and was proposed by a Florida senator Bill Nelson (D), due to established populations in the Everglades of non-native Burmese pythons, Python molurus bivittatus and red-tailed boas, Boa constrictor ssp. and African rock pythons, Python sebae elsewhere in Florida. The HSUS gloom and doom prophecies of these snakes spreading out of over most of the US has scared a few people. So the ban has gained some support even though it is a Southern Florida problem and not a problem for the rest of the country. The bill is now up for review before the full US Senate. I know Kevin McCurley at NERD/Zoo Creatures is upset about this, as he breeds designer reticulated pythons.

[Paul Rust]

I agree with everyone so far. I am all for testing but they will be destroyed. Maybe this will make it even harder to smuggle animals now that more eyes will be focused on the trade. This brings into sharp relief my involvement with TWI/ASN. I have my animals registered with them. If a ban goes into place will they be required to give up our names and have our animals destroyed while everyone else keeps theirs because they don't know about them? I am second guessing registering any more.

[Kurt]

Well, the python ban only includes the sale of these animals across state borders.

[SludgeMunkey]

While worried about this (it is one of the factors contributing against my N. kaiseri program I have started here...). I do not see any reason to panic yet. It is time to get to writing letters. Unlike boss and pythons, there are far too few of us to not do so now. I will add more to this when I get to a real computer.

[Paul Rust]

While worried about this (it is one of the factors contributing against my N. kaiseri program I have started here...). I do not see any reason to panic yet. It is time to get to writing letters. Unlike boss and pythons, there are far too few of us to not do so now. I will add more to this when I get to a real computer.

Please do, I have never really gotten involved in stuff like this but I will go to war over this one. Oh, for the record I want everyone to know that I only have a Fire Bellied toad, that's it, nothing else, really!