Re: Florida Sale of DBT
Dave, I have two comments about your post last friday. First, if the pet store is selling diamondback terrapins, please call the Florida Game and Fish Commission’s law enforcement branch at 1-800-432-2046. They will be able to tell you the law and they will visit the store. For example, I received a call last summer about a clothing store that had an aquarium set up by the cashier. I was told there was a baby sea turtle in in the tank. I, with a USFWS officer, went in to inspect (undercover, of course) and the owner was arrested immediately. Second comment, about the rescue/adoption program. Many sea turtle people in other countries do a similar thing. They raise money to buy the sea turtles fisherman bring in to the markets for sell (they sell them alive, fresher meat!!!). These folks take the turtle to rehab facilities and then release them in the wild. There has been a lot of discussion on the sea turtle listserve about how effective this is. In summary, the idea is great, but the only way it will work in the long-term is if we pinpoint the source of the turtles and try to reduce the number of turtles being sold. This is easy for sea turtles, just ask the fisherman to stop catching endangered turtles that are illegal to have anyway. I can imagine this may be more difficult with diamondback terrapins since they are not listed and since they are legal to harvest in many places. Dave, I think you have a great idea in the rescue/adoption program. This email list is a great place to start putting together a network of people that could adopt rescued turtles. Phil Allman Environmental Specialist Collier County Natural Resources Naples, Florida 34112 —–Original Message—– From: Photonoid@… [mailto:Photonoid@…] Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 4:26 PM To: diamondbackterrapins@egroups.com Subject: [diamondbackterrapins] Florida Sale of DBT Hi Everyone, Well, just when you think you know what is going on with the laws in Florida you find out something new. The other day I stopped by one of the local reptile shop and to my amassment they had 2 very nice, young 2-3inch, Northern DBT for sale. The owner was not around for me to talk to but for what one of the guys told me at the store they have been selling them for a while now. The last time I dealt with Florida Game and Fish the told me that the sale within state lines was strictly forbidden. They even want me to keep my Males and females in separate enclosure so that they cannot breed. But from time to time I give them some time together so they can have a one night stand. 🙂 So has anyone else in Florida heard of anything happening with the laws and if so wouldn’t that mean we could see DBT turning up at the Expos again? Lastly, I had a thought about the posting on that DBT that was recused from a market. I was thinking that maybe a rescue and adoption service or something could be created. If the turtles could be recused and adopted out for a small fee after time turtles could be recused and possibly released back into the wild. I have been recusing turtles from people here in Florida for years, Never DBT but lots of Snapper, Red Belly and box turtles. I usually buy them from fisherman that want to make soup from them. I pay any were from $5–$15 for the turtle which makes the fisherman happy and the turtle and if it is in good shape releasee them in my back yard in a state park. Some of the more beaten up animals I rehabilitate until they are healthy even to fend for them selves. Just a thought. I think it would save turtles lives some of them people in the group might want to adapt a turtle and a lot of us live in area were they are native and could release them. Well I would like to here what people have to say, Take care Dave To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: diamondbackterrapins-unsubscribe@egroups.com