Category Archives: Laws
45,000 bucks in reptiles stolen
66 reptiles were stolen from Lost World Reptiles on Monday. Apparently the shop had no security cameras in place and the owners nor the authorities have any ideas who took the animals. The owners are devastated as most of the animals were imported from the U.S. as babies and raised by them and now they will have to start over. The police did state that this dose not appear to be the act of opportunistic burglars but rather a planed out calculated hit by someone that knows about reptiles and was probably a customer who knew the shop lay out.
f you can help phone Sittingbourne Police on 01795 419182 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting crime number CY/000188/11.
Exotic turtles seized at LAX in smuggling arrest
In the annals of smuggling, Los Angeles International Airport has seen it all — lizards in luggage, songbirds strapped to a passenger’s legs, boxes of tarantulas and two pygmy monkeys hidden in a traveler’s pants.
Now, officials said, they have recorded another milestone in the animal kingdom — smuggled turtles.
Authorities said two Japanese men were arrested with more than 50 live rare turtles, from Chinese big-headed turtles to Indian Star tortoises, packed neatly inside snack food boxes.
On Monday, Atsushi Yamagami, 39, and Norihide Ushirozako, 49, were charged in a two-count criminal complaint alleging that they illegally imported wildlife into the United States, a smuggling offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, and one count of violating the Endangered Species Act, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
Federal officials, who arrested the men Friday, said the suspects had 55 live turtles sealed inside snack boxes of cookies and crackers.
Authorities said their investigation began a year ago, when U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents learned of a smuggling operation that was illegally bringing turtles into the United States.
They said they infiltrated the ring over the summer in an investigation known as “Operation Flying Turtle,” which included the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement‘s Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
After U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents arrested one of Yamagami’s associates at Honolulu International Airport trying to smuggle more than 40 turtles in a package, the man told them that Yamagami had paid him about 100,000 yen or about $1,200 and travel expenses to smuggle the reptiles, authorities said.
“The plundering and smuggling of rare plants and animals to satisfy the desires of hobbyists is not only shameful, in some circumstances it can pose a threat to public safety and the environment,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles.
Black Hastings market
Apparently the fine of $220,000 and up to 2 years in jail is not enough to detour people from traveling to Hastings and attempting to smuggle the native snakes out for sale on the black market. Port Macquarie was known for its Stephens Banded Snakes and Intergrade Pythons. Apparently the Intergrade Pythons from that area have a distinct sought after coloration that is hard to reproduce in captivity.
One 50yo man was recently caught after being bitten by one of the Banded snakes and seeking emergency treatment but according to National Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger Andrew Marshall the man was not charged because he did not admit to his intentions to collect and sell the snake on the black market.
Outgoing Ohio governor orders ban on exotic pets
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Exiting Gov. Ted Strickland banned new exotic pets Thursday in one of the few remaining states without such a restriction, and allowed existing pets to be kept only under tough new rules.
Though Strickland’s emergency executive order is only effective for 90 days, Gov.-elect John Kasich said he saw no immediate reason to reverse it after he takes office Monday.
Ohio was one of fewer than 10 states remaining where wild pet ownership was virtually unchecked.
Strickland’s order called for a ban on the future ownership, breeding, sale, trade or barter of wild animals “that are dangerous to human health and safety.” People who already own exotic pets will now have to register them with the state and will be barred from breeding or selling their boas, chimpanzees, tigers, bears and other wild animals.
The order fulfills Strickland’s end of a deal brokered by his administration with the Humane Society of the United States, other animal rights groups and Ohio’s agribusiness industry. The agreement prompted the Humane Society to withdraw a ballot issue containing a litany of restrictions on pet ownership and treatment and livestock care.
In a statement, he said the agreement “will keep Ohio’s vital agriculture industry profitable while appropriately updating animal care standards.”
“This rule will help protect Ohioans from deaths and serious injuries caused by attacks from dangerous wild animals held in private ownership,” he said.
In August, an animal trainer in Lorain County was mauled to death in a well-publicized attack by a black bear. The animal was properly registered under existing Ohio law.
But the state has some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them, an Associated Press review last year found.
Humane Society president and CEO Wayne Pacelle commended Strickland’s order in a statement Thursday.
“Dangerous wild animals do not belong in the backyards and basements of private citizens,” he said. “It’s bad for the animals and dangerous for people. This emergency order is good for Ohio, and we look forward to seeing it implemented in the months ahead.”
As an emergency measure, Strickland’s order is temporary — running through March 6. However, Kasich said Thursday that he supports the ban in concept.
“We don’t want exotic animals here where somebody’s bringing something in and then some neighbor gets hurt. So we’ll look at it,” he said during a news conference announcing three new cabinet directors. “It sounds reasonable, but just let me take a look at it. I would be inclined to say we should continue it.”
The Humane Society had threatened to revisit its ballot issue if terms of its deal with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and other agriculture interests weren’t met by Dec. 31. The measure would have placed restrictions on the crating and care of livestock that raised concern among farmers. Instead, farm groups spearheaded creation of a state livestock care standards board that is now up and running and hammering out standards with input from both sides.
It requires owners who want to keep exotic pets they have now to register the animals by May 1, and once a year after that. It exempts certain zoos and animal preserves from the ban on ownership, breeding and sale.
The ban will be carried out by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-06/outgoing-ohio-governor-orders-ban-on-exotic-pets.html
Largest Alligator in the country
The Newport Aquarium has what is believed to be the largest Alligator in the country, on loan from a private collection in Florida is the 14 foot long 800lb aptly named Mighty Mike. The large gater will be on display at the Aquarium until late spring at which time he will be transported to an outdoor exhibit at the Michigan Zoo.
Mighty Mike has become somewhat of a story in the conservation world as he was spotted in the wild living near a boat dock in a lake in Florida. Large Alligators are determined by the state of Florida to be a threat to people and the Florida FWC ordered him destroyed as is law in that state. The trapper however saw something bigger at work.
The trapper contacted local expert Bruce Shwedick and asked him to give the monster a home, Bruce did so and has maintained the Alligator ever since, naming it after the trappers son Mike.
Stop killing the crocs, plead wildlife activists
KUCHING: Villagers have vowed to continue their hunt for a crocodile that killed and devoured a man here, even if they have to kill “each and every last one” in the Batang Samarahan River.
Their pledge, however, has earned them the wrath of environmentalists and wildlife groups.
Malaysian Nature Society chairman Asso Prof Maketab Mohamed said although human life was sacred, it did not mean that it was all right to kill crocodiles “as if their lives were worthless”.
The villagers have so far caught and disembowelled three crocodiles since Sidi Samad, 66, was seen eaten alive on Dec 18.
Full Story
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/1/3/nation/7725261&sec=nation