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John - good job. Thanks for your comments and deeper "analytics".
I am irritated with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). Among many travesties, they are proposing a virtual shut down of keeping snakes. Most recently they drafted a regulation to prevent ownership of "all Lampropeltis". Fortunately enough people responded they reduced that regulation to "Alabama indigenous Lampropeltis"; including morphs and albinos. They prohibit keeping the large Lacey Act Injurious Snakes, non-native venomous, and tegus. The ADCNR is as a totalitarian democracy and snake keepers have little opportunity for input or to be heard. By and large, the ADCNR follows Auburn University's recommendations.
And the ADCNR releases millions of non-native fish every year, does not regulate importation of crayfish and bait / feeder worm species, allows release of 10's of thousands of quail, pheasant, grouse, does nothing about feral house cats, and on an on. Yet, they want to stop reptile keeping and enjoyment.
As an old guy, I recall the use and release of excess African clawed frogs, bullfrogs, turtles, lizards, and more during my undergraduate time. I did not observe release of non-native snakes. But I did often see releases of native snakes in distant locations from capture but within natural ranges.
I think issues for reptile keepers include lack of knowledge by authorities and little interest in obtaining input from reptile keepers. In Alabama, the Advisory Board for the ADCNR has said (paraphrased): "we don't get any revenue from you snake people and the easiest thing to do is prohibit keeping snakes". They are also citing the health care costs of venomous bites. Such is absolute nonsense compared to hunting and fishing deaths and injuries - but those activities generate license revenue.
As to my copy, I received a "clean and undamaged copy"; with the exception of a ding to one corner of the hard cover. It's an expensive book for its size and you should have a perfect copy. It is published by the University Press of Florida so the academic overhead increases cost.
Thanks again for your review and excellent comments.
Take a look at the Burmese python paper I just posted in FC "Herps in the News".
This is a well written and in depth paper.
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