kimbyra
cornsnake addict
Here is a news link. Grrrr.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080520/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_smuggled_geckos
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080520/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_smuggled_geckos
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Bad Guy Smugglers
- Thread starter kimbyra
- Start date
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
Yes, it is a shame that the draconian laws of Australia have people resorting to such deadly schemes. I would guess it probably happens a lot more than we would think. I would also guess that most, if not all, of the zillions of pet bearded dragons in the US and Europe are probably available because somebody smuggled the founding stock into Europe or the US in a similar manner.
If only Australia had allowed a small, legal quota (of any species that is not threatened or endangered), even with with high tariffs (to fund wildlife projects there), then smugglers might not find it profitable enough to risk the lives of their captives, and also risk their own freedom, to continue smuggling. There are always unintended consequences of any laws that are passed. We should remember that as legislators keep passing huge numbers of "feel good, but accomplish nothing" laws.
BTW, I am not against protecting animals that are truly threatened in the wild. And I certainly don't condone smuggling, even though I do understand why people do it. But I am against blanket protections that sometimes do more harm than good. When it is a "blanket" to cover everything, without thought or research (such as the laws in Georgia in the US, or apparently, Australia), there will usually be unintended consequences, and the laws will also be largely unenforceable. But they will sound good to the general population, and make it sound like legislators are "doing something" and so should be re-elected. That is what it is all about, after all.
If only Australia had allowed a small, legal quota (of any species that is not threatened or endangered), even with with high tariffs (to fund wildlife projects there), then smugglers might not find it profitable enough to risk the lives of their captives, and also risk their own freedom, to continue smuggling. There are always unintended consequences of any laws that are passed. We should remember that as legislators keep passing huge numbers of "feel good, but accomplish nothing" laws.
BTW, I am not against protecting animals that are truly threatened in the wild. And I certainly don't condone smuggling, even though I do understand why people do it. But I am against blanket protections that sometimes do more harm than good. When it is a "blanket" to cover everything, without thought or research (such as the laws in Georgia in the US, or apparently, Australia), there will usually be unintended consequences, and the laws will also be largely unenforceable. But they will sound good to the general population, and make it sound like legislators are "doing something" and so should be re-elected. That is what it is all about, after all.