animal planet

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

You might want to rethink that statement. I saw a couple things from Nat Geo that just turned my stomach last night. On the other forum that I am an Admin on I asked for "your fav herp related youtube videos." After watching one that was posted a video from Nat Geo was in the related section. Guess what it was about. Killing snakes. They were clubbing a RTB in what looks like native habitat then beheaded it... and they had another clip where they beat and beheaded a viper that was in a sandy habitat. I had to turn off the computer after that. Nat Geo was just sensationalizing the clubbing and killing of snakes.

Ugh. Makes me sad to see National Geographic going downhill like that.

I was with them all the way until they put out a quick article about he Florida Burms that was completely one-sided (PETA's side), stating false information as fact and such. They realized their mistake fairly quickly (but only after getting lots of negative feedback) and put out another article from the reptile keepers' perspective, but to me, the damage had already been done. If they can't publish thought out, well-balanced articles about something I actually know a little about, then how can I trust their other articles about stuff I know nothing about?

there in lies the problem no one can publish a nuetral opinion on a problem you are always swayed one way or another. and these so called animal activists or tree huggers have bigger agendas this is just away to back door there way in. and as usual the average joe enjoying his or her hobby gets the shaft.

I only read the first couple post to this and decided to reply. The problem is not the couple of people here and there that let a snake go or gets out. How many have even been down to south FL. I have!! Lived in FL my whole life. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY NONE NATIVE ANIMALS ARE LOOSE DOWN THERE. I bet it is over 1000 and around 100 that are breeding and making habitat here. Its not from owners though oh no. The AIR PORT is where most of these animals congregate. Why is this from all of the illegal exporting of animals. Then they get here with them and if they get any idea they might be checked they just let the animals loose to avoid fines and jail. That is where are biggest problem is. It doesnt happen in other states cause most animals cant handle the weather in other states. But things are perfect for almost anything imported to the US in FL to thrive and breed and spread.

Some of you may know about these and some may not. Not sure how far they have gone. But Love Bugs!!! Or as some call them F*&% Bugs. That is all they do and then die. They come in the billions every year and destroy paint on cars and homes. Where did these come from you may ask. Florida University!!! Thats right the Gators. They made them in a lab to eat the mosquitos. Well they dont do that. So did they get in trouble for it no.

My point here is its the big companies and organizations and importers fault for all this. But they will put blame on the little guy and then tell him/her that you can no longer enjoy what you love in life cause someone else messed it up for you. It was not your neighbor either. No it was the big corporations, universities, importers, air ports, Department of Fish and Game them selfs.

So what is the plan of action send anyone and there uncle down there for open season on pythons. So the one or 2 they find out of the 100,000 they estimate is down there they kill. So they are making a big impact there not. Then you look at the amount of wild life and plant life that will be destroyed in the process.

You all should look at the article in playboy. It tell all about the scam. Dont remember what issue it is but it was around the middle of last year though.

Actually, a lot of invasive species--both here and abroad--are not from importers. The critters are stowaways. That's how the brown tree snake got to Guam; they crawl into recesses in planes and leave when the planes land.

Also, I have yet to see a credible source estimate there are 100k Burms in the 'Glades. Given how hard it's been for even hunters to find them, I think this 100k number that the animal rights people throw around was just plucked out of the air.

Also, I have yet to see a credible source estimate there are 100k Burms in the 'Glades. Given how hard it's been for even hunters to find them, I think this 100k number that the animal rights people throw around was just plucked out of the air.

Yes you are right. The number is more like 10K maybe. The reason they are having such a hard time finding them is they are not looking. What I mean is all they are doing is driving up and down roads and paths at night to find them. No one is going into the swamp to look.

Like I said read the article in Playboy from the middle of last year. It is a really good one on how the whole thing is a government scam to get money to fix the everglades. Not to kill snakes.

i read an article the other day it came from some paper in southern florida, it said in a nut shell that more than 60% of the burms died in the cold spell that they had down there so the climate on whole is good for them but the way the weather is going there is no way that they would be able to survive outside of the keys it is obviosly that the us fish and game has taken there surveys and extremly exagerated them. i think we just keep fighting and hopefully everything will come to light and we can continue to enjoy the animals we love

The fraction is probably a lot higher. There was a recent meeting/discussion in D.C. about the USGS' nine constrictor snakes and the Lacey Act. I don't recall who the group was, but some people were tracking the Burms, and 9 out of 10 snakes with radio tags died in the cold snap. With such small-number statistics, we can't say that 90% of all Burms in the Everglades died, but it does mean that 60% is probably a lower limit, at best.

yes you are corect that was the article 8 of the 9 that died were females hate to see that happen to any snake but that is what we needed to keep up the fight and have a chance.

Originally Posted by Reptileman81

Some of you may know about these and some may not. Not sure how far they have gone. But Love Bugs!!! Or as some call them F*&% Bugs. That is all they do and then die. They come in the billions every year and destroy paint on cars and homes. Where did these come from you may ask. Florida University!!! Thats right the Gators. They made them in a lab to eat the mosquitos. Well they dont do that. So did they get in trouble for it no.

Urban legend:

http://www.snopes.com/critters/lurkers/lovebugs.asp

Originally Posted by falco

Urban legend:

http://www.snopes.com/critters/lurkers/lovebugs.asp

I dout it is a urban legend or a rumor. It is all a cover up. I am a big believer in conspericy theory. These bugs have not been here as long as I can remember. They were not here one day and the next here they are. It could not of been much more the 25 years ago they came around. If even that long.

So I guess that the fact that gators made gatorade is a urban legend too.