I absolutely agree that one shouldn't mix THH, THB and THHerc. However, I disagree that two THH are different subspecies if they are from different localities. Species is Testudo Hermanni, subspecies is Hermanni versus Boetgerri versus Herc., but the subspecies are not divided into further and further subspecies. There is no single study that would call different locality a different subspecies. They are differences between localities, but not such differences that one could call it different subspecies.
With more than half of my tortoises I know where they come from and therefore will keep the localities. With the reminder (those that I purchased first) I don't know where they came from, and therefore will be breeding them as they are. There is lack of THH, so if the survival of species will depend only on the purest of the purest, they will soon become completely extinct. I am pretty open in saying whether I know or don't know where they originally come from, so I am not deceiving anyone, and at the same time I am not crossbreeding accross different species or subspecies. I am keeping them pure THH, but with some of them I will have to accept that their locality will never be known. Whoever wants to purchase a tortoise from a specific locality, they will obviously choose not to buy those tortoises, (after all, I am not hiding it that I don't know their locality), but who wants only THH and doesn't mind where from, they can buy those tortoises. As I see it, it is a bit like with any other animals. Some dogs have pedigree nearly as long as the Queen, others don't. As long as I don't mix species and subspecies, I really can't see anything wrong with it. And you may agree or disagree, that's up to you. I am not forcing anyone to buy them!
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