what do you guys/girls think...

[Palex134]

so I was doing a bit of reading this morning, and thinking about the importation of Phelsuma. What sparked these thoughts was a paragraph on how Phelsuma ornata were imported until only a few years ago. So I was thinking, what species do you guys thing will be exported/imported commonly over the next few years? Anyone have a general list of species currently being imported into your countries? Do you guys think that any new species will be added to the list allowed out of Madagascar and islands over the next few years, or any taken off the export list? These can be your personal opinions. I am really pleased at the past activity in this forum, so there is a question for everyone.

 

[JBReptiles]

I really dont think any species will come in.Well the rarer ones.They will keep doing quads,lineata sp,standingi,laticauda and grandis.But the other ones wont be touched for some time.Thats just my thought.But all the species(well most)can be found in captivity.

 

[danscantle]

Peter-

The ornata you are thinking of were imported along with P. cepediana and P. guimbeaui until fairly recently. As you know, Mauritius does not allow the exportation of its wildlife, and I cannot imagine this policy chaning anytime soon.

Those geckos were imported by the hundreds, and were one of the central displays at the 2002 Daytona expo. They were exported, imported, and sold as captive bred animals. The gentleman responsible for it all apparently maintained them in enourmous green house enclosures loaded with stacks of bamboo.

I am not so believing. There were males - tons of them - and other indications of their true origin. How so many wild caught Mauritian Phelsuma were allowed into this country is something that will continue to blow my mind.

Don't count on seeing anything like that happen again. You should not be preoccupied with what will be exported in future years. You should be thinking about what will never be exported again. If you've followed the Madagascan quotas you should have an idea of how serious the urgency is to get any and all Malagasy species estabolished. Not to mention how messed up the place is in the first place.

 

[Palex134]

danscantle, thanks for the great info. I am not planning on any, I am just too curious for my own good. Your info was great.

if they were imported so heavily, what happened to most of them? Did they land in the hands of inexperienced keepers, and did most die?

 

[danscantle]

who knows what happened to them all.

 

[Palex134]

it sorta reminds me of what happened to the Abronia genus. They were heavily exported out of Mexico, and were sold very cheaply to my knowlage. Now, there are few left in the wild, and their populations are damaged heavily from the limitless collecting. They arent available much anymore, and when they are, they aren't cheap.