I do miss them....

Originally posted by Robert Seib
Hi Rich,

Florida will allow you to have a single sex of Drymarchon couperi if you are using them for educational purposes, like showing them to your kids' classmates at school.

The state won't let you have both sexes lest you breed them, but you can have a couple of snakes of a single sex. Of course you have to buy them from one of the many out of state breeders.

Best of luck,
robert

Yeah, this is a sensible approach! Sure would be a crime for someone to actually breed a species that is being protected because of habitat destruction causing their decline. So the only way you can have one is if you take it OUT of the gene pool by keeping it a captive, separated from other breeing capable adults ...... Duh.....

They do it that way for one reason....ease of enforcement. If Floridians were able to breed their indigos and sell the offspring F&W would have to keep track of all these animals and it would be difficult to determine CBB from WC. If everyone just has one indigo that is registered to them and can't sell them it takes a lot less effort to enforce.

I agree that their logic seems flawed but it makes their job a lot easier. The same thing could be said about the possession limit of one for the Florida pinesnake.

Just my opinion, but I don't believe the prime criteria of a law should be ease of enforcement. The prime criteria should be "what is it's purpose and will the law help accomplish it?"

Conservation based laws should help conserve the resource they target. If a law is too dificult to enforce, and making it "easy" hinders it's ultimate goal, then the law is contrary to common sense and the intent of the law itself.

Captive breeding programs alleviate a LOT of the incentive for collectors removing animals from wild populations. THAT makes enforcement easier because there aren't so many people out there trying to snag indigo snakes off of the roads.

Rarity increases value, which increases incentive for people to break the law. If captive produced indigo snakes were plentiful enough to where the price was $50 each, why would someone run the risk of a stiff fine and a criminal record to go catch one in the wild?

Even if the price were 500 bucks each, it would still be cheeper than the possible penalty of taking a specimen from the wild. The Fl. Fish& Game folks could easily tag each captive specimen with a numbered electronic chip implant. Detectable with a scanner. The animal shelters use them already on dogs 7 cats that are adopted out. Heck,...my cat has one! And they would know right off the bat if that chip were one of their own because of the numbers it would display on the scanner. It wouldn't be any mopre difficult than it is now to keep track of and enforce. The problem is that the laws are written by buracrats who are being influenced by the wrong people;ie, the humane society, and peta. I agree with your analagy whole heartedly! So what we need is another way to influence the powers that be, in the RIGHT direction. I have preeched this before, and will continue to do so, until the right people get with it, and help me make it happen. I am talking about a National Herp. Society. This is just one of many battle fronts were we could fight back against the influence of those who don't have a clue what is right.
T.

Tony,

PARC is such an organization. Though they are more "science" based, they are very open to the private sector and could very easily become a great ally to such in the near future

http://www.parcplace.org/

Also, they will be hosting their annual Southeast conference meeting in Hot Springs, AR February 25-27 2005

http://www.parcplace.org/SERegional.htm

I had better see you there, and don’t forget your fishing gear!
It would seem as though some laws are designed to protect a species to death. I find it odd that FL maintains the same position regarding Pituophis mugitus, as it does D. couperi, minus the required permit. While the law is to make enforcement easier on an already over burdened group of enforcement officers, much like Arizona’s law regarding Heloderma.
One would be hard pressed to find a neonate, or even yearling, D. couperi in the wild, so I believe the distinction could be easily recognized based on age, in conjunction with
micro-chipping adult captives.
Unfortunately, the “powers” that be do not agree with such logic, though they allow incidental take permits, for a nominal fee.

Jeff Snodgres

Jeff,
Sounds like a plan! Thanks for the info.! I will check out the website later. Right now I have snake doodoo to clean. Go ahead and send me all the particulars for the meet in Feb.. Also, I wouldn't mind knowing where to go to see some couperi in the wild.
T.