Big problem in South Africa-graphic pics

[KYNAN]

We have a big problem here in South Africa concerning reptiles.In most of our states it is illegal to keep or breed local reptiles and sometimes exotics.People are arrested and charged if found to be contrivening these laws.The hobbiests in our once great country are forced to illegally keep these animals out of thier love for our local reptiles.Recently the authorities tried to pass a law making it illegal to keep and wild animal,this includes every thing except dogs and cats.

The following pics will show you how double sided these laws are-WARNING THESE PICTURE ARE GRAPHIC AND MAY OFFEND
This is a highly endangered Ground Hornbill

Fruit bat

Eagle

Turtle

Giant plated lizard

Nile monitor

Our national lizard a Sungazer

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These picture were taken at the Durban muti market.Muti is the broad word used for traditional african medicine.All of these animals are highly endangered and protected.But they are only protected for some ,us the good guys!!!!
When asking an official why this is allowed the answer was"Its thier culture and we cant interfer"This market is also protected by some high ranking officials.South Africa is full of double standards but why let this carnage continue.We the collectors will insure the survival of these species.These pics were taken with a great risk to my life.There is alot of money in this trade but it needs to be stopped .If you know the right sangomas(witch doctors)human body parts are also availible belive it or not.This has to stop.Sorry to put this up but the more people that know about this the better.

 

[Ken Bartenfeld]

Yea...I think those are some graphic pics...

Terrible about the "culture"...guess they don't have a Walgreens around for medicine...

 

[KYNAN]

Yea...I think those are some graphic pics...

Terrible about the "culture"...guess they don't have a Walgreens around for medicine...

If we were to collect these animals there would be problems,but wholesale slaughter is allowed,put it this way on that day i must have seen thousands of dead animals -scary thought hey

 

[Nathan Hall]

Kynan, thanks for posting this. Sorry I haven't returned your PM. Swamped as usual. I'm glad you went ahead and posted it. In the states, you can run over a protected or endangered herp with your car, but if you physically try to move it off of the road, you will get in major trouble with F&W. That is infinitely less severe than what is going on in your country, but I believe it illustrates a fundamental flaw with wildlife laws/ordinances that is pervasive throughout the world. We are lumped into categories with poachers, smugglers, and drug dealers.

 

[thrower]

Is there anything that we can do? I was just wondering if there was some kind of organization or something that was working against the loss of these African species. Although I would doubt that a group of Americans could do much to sway the South African government, it would be nice to help if possible.

Tarl

 

[KYNAN]

The illegal trade in reptiles from the nothern cape has become a massive problem, according to the MES for tourism, enviroment and conservation, Piter Saaiman. Saaiman's statement follows on the sentence of three men in the Springbok Magistrate's Court. The men, all from Durban, have been fined R60 000 each or six years' imprisoment for the illegal capture of 17 rare snake in the province. Saaman said the illegal trade of reptiles and animals is the third biggest concernt in the Nothern Cape, following the illegal trade in guns and drugs.

Paul Zeiss, Trevor Zeiss and Ronald Collyer were found guilty on charges of illegal possesion and transport of five different snake species which were captured during November las year in and around Springbok. The local police caught the men after they were informed by a member of the public. The snakes included two Cape coral snakes, two brown house snakes, five many horned adders, seven horned adders, as well as one egg eater. The snakes were released into the wild after the ordeal. The men, who appeared in court on Friday, admitted guilt to Magistrate Joshua Klaase on five of the 10 charges against them.

Saaiman welcomed the heavy fines: "enviroment crime will not be tolerated in the province. People who transgress enviromental laws must not expect any mercy."

He said he hopes that the judgement will discourage potential offeners from committing the same crime, adding that people from all over the world came to the Northern cape to collect some of the province's rare snakes as it is extremely sought after on overseas markets. " A pair of Horned adders can be sold up to $8 000(R62 500), while the cenom of certain snakes has a retail value of between $700(R5 500) and $ 1500 (R12 000) per gramme.

This is what happened to a friend of mine recently.HE really has a passion for our local reptile and did this soley for his own collection not for commercial gain.In the same week as his sentencing 5 men got R3000($400)bail for the rape and murder of women and her child,thats how our justice system works.

 

[KYNAN]

Is there anything that we can do? I was just wondering if there was some kind of organization or something that was working against the loss of these African species. Although I would doubt that a group of Americans could do much to sway the South African government, it would be nice to help if possible.

unfortunatly our "rainbow nation"is at that stage were it grab as much as you can while you can.dont wanna get too political here but this is becoming a race thing,where white consevation officers are told to leave these markets because theyre white and dont know anything about this culture.in my book no culture is civilized when this type of slaughter is taking place.
after taking these pic i phone the powers that be and asked them for a permit to keep a ground hornbill(pic1),they basically told me to go to hell,when i told them what i had just seen,they said theyre not allowed to interfer with whats going on at the market.swaying the S.A goverment on anything!!!!Ive got more chance on hatching out a tokay from leopard babies.lol

 

[klondike4001]

Thanks for posting, it is truely disgusting what people do to animals.

 

[DDReptiles]

Thank you for sharing this information. Thank you for sharing the pics, they will open many eyes including mine to big problem. I wish there was something we could do.

Thanks Derek

 

[Palex134]

Thank you for sharing this information. Thank you for sharing the pics, they will open many eyes including mine to big problem. I wish there was something we could do.

Thanks Derek

Yes, I agree with Derek. Best of luck finding some solution. Its sad seeing that Cordylus up there, instead of in the wild.

 

[KYNAN]

It is virtually impossible to get permits to keep cordylus here ,but killing them for some hocus pocus medicine seems to be alright

 

[GeckoHunter]

Wow!! Im totally floored. I know this kind of thing goes on but when you see it "up close and personal" like that, it really is quite shocking.

If anyone finds out if there is someone/organisation that we can contact to try and prevent this sort of thing, please let us all know.
I have a mate in SA at the moment (moved from Australia about 11 months ago) so I'll see if he can also look into it for us.

On another note, Douglas Adams ("Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" fame) wrote a book in the 80s called "Last Chance To See." Douglas went on a trips to different countries across the world looking for endangered species. I highly recommend this book - well written, very funny, yet very informative.

cheers,