Care for the Wild International

[EJ]

especially rare considering there are only 2 animals left in existance... hence the importance of them loosing one...

...but you knew that...

Ignorance is not a bad thing... not realizing the fact... is.

I have no problem admitting I'm ignorant in certain areas...

Originally Posted by sandy

Thankyou Paul.

I suppose turtle ignorant keepers like me, dont appreciate that river turtles are as rare as they are

[Bindi]

[quote=Geomyda;232721]Posted in yesterday's edition of The Sun:

A TURTLE bit and broke a chef’s toe as it tried to escape the cooking pot.
The 2ft creature wriggled from the cook’s grip as it was lowered into a vat of boiling water.


It then munched one of his little toes as he tried to scoop it up from the kitchen floor.

The 35-year-old chef, wearing slippers, was taken to hospital in agony.



Good on that turtle, it wasn't wearing a bandana and a mask was it?!

[Geomyda]

Hope to have a further update before Christmas!

[alicia]

i have just signed, got my friend to sign and sent the link to my sister
i will also get my parents to do it this evening
soo that anoth 5 people

alice
xxx

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by alicia

i have just signed, got my friend to sign and sent the link to my sister
i will also get my parents to do it this evening
soo that anoth 5 people

alice
xxx

That is great!
An update; The scientific paper commissioned by Tesco has now been reviewed by some European Herpetologists and a very eminent Chinese herpetologist. Their assessment, is that the work is of a very poor standard and appears to have been written by a very inexperienced author. There are very many inaccuracies, and the text contradicts itself numerous times.
Against this of course is a raft of work, by many of the world leading Herpetologists, including some very well respected Chinese scientists!
It is hoped, that the weight of this very credible evidence, coupled with the increasing public pressure, will result in a withdrawal from trade by the Chinese subsidiary of Tesco. At the same time, there is mounting pressure on other Western retailers who are also party to this trade.
Whilst obviously not concluded, the arguments are now very strongly putting the case for a change in marketing strategy for these global investors.

[Geomyda]

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/...,2043276.story

[EJ]

The problem with pushing this cause is that the southern softshells are the equivelent of chelonian rats... they will colonise almost any body of water. They are also easily farmed. The reason they make good news is because of the numbers being exported. It makes for good shock value... here's the problem... take that... a renewable resource away... they will replace it with a less renewable resource.

Don't read anything into this but what it says.

I'm not against protecting animals... I just don't think that this is one of them that needs protecting. It looks like it's a political football.

[Geomyda]

Recommend a good poem- "First known when lost"- by Edward Thomas!
It sounds like you need a good read?

[EJ]

I really don't think there is a risk of the southern softshells being lost here. There is a risk of loosing those chelonians should this resource be removed.

Again... your not going to change a society... why not give them an easily renewable resource to satisfy their needs?

Originally Posted by Geomyda

Recommend a good poem- "First known when lost"- by Edward Thomas!
It sounds like you need a good read?

[Geomyda]

Ed, If you are right about the Florida Soft Shell Turtle (Apalone ferox), why is it that so many of the world renowned Herpetologists have all come together to lobby the US government to elevate this, and the other two species of American Soft shell Turtle to at least CITES 11 listing?
It seems to me, that like so many of the World's crepuscular, aquatic and semi aquatic, fresh water Turtle forms which have for many gone quietly un-noticed for eons, have suddenly met their Nemisis.
The phenomenon of the Chinese Food markets, which in the last twenty years have exploded the demand for live turtle flesh, have quite frankly an insatiable appetite for these species. It is only in this time frame, that due to hard, convertable currency, following the latest industrial revolution in China that demand has been on such a large scale! We very well know, that over collection in South Asia, has now spread throughout the world and now frankly, there is no corner of the world that is spared the imminent threat of extinction of these Chelonian species.
Yes, I know that the expansion of Farmed Turtles has ballooned in recent years, but again this is still an industry in its infancy. The production of Turtles for the Pet trade, may have been around for a while, but production on an industrial scale of market ready adults is a completely diffierent. It is in this vein, that the World's leading Turtle experts are united in their condemnation of the current situation and are urging Governments to act before it is too late.