#90 - POECILOTHERIA AND THE ESA

This is going to be a very short entry. I requested topic suggestions and I got a number of them from Chad Campbell. Poecilotheria and the ESA was his second request. Last night #88 tackled his first suggestion (handling), which was seconded by Kiffnie, especially comments on Poecilotheria. Actually, although I did mention Poecs, I didn't focus on them specifically. It is believed by many that Poecs have the strongest venom based strictly on anecdotal reports not science. I assume that was why Kiffnie emphasized that genus. All I'll say is that since there have been reports of "coma" or "coma-like" (whatever that means) effects from Poec bites I certainly would least like to be bit by any member of the genus. My worst bite was from Haplopelma lividum and the resulting four days and nights of muscle cramps particularly in the hamstring and calf were bad enough for me.

But here I am asked to comment on Poecilotheria and the ESA (Endangered Species Act). The truth is that Chad probably knows more about this issue than I. There was a Faffbook group created on the topic by Christian Elowsky who would be a better author of this blog entry as well. I hated Faffbook groups and people adding me to them long before I hated Faffbook in general and left this group after a short time.

This is all I have to say:

European collectors have smuggled Poecs out of India and Sri Lanka. That is why almost every species in the genus is well established in the hobby. This has not gone unnoticed by wildlife officials in the countries where Poecs are found or our own USFW knuckleheads. Long before the mention that Poecs might become CITES listed there was the IUCN red listing of the genus. My knowledge of the inner workings of these threatened and endangered species list inclusions is limited. What escapes wildlife officials is the fact that our hobby Poecs are all captive bred in numbers AND HAVE BEEN FOR MANY GENERATIONS and their value has mostly become laughable. Many species can barely be given away. Even "newer" species like P. hanumavilasumica are difficult to sell. I just wholesaled my recent hatch of P. smithi, which by all reports is the least abundant (most threatened) Poec in the wild for 10 bucks apiece. There is no incentive for anyone to collect Poecilotheria for the pet trade. But wildlife officials get paid to officiate. They don't always base rules on science. Look at our own USFW ridiculous actions related to pythons. They don't even have to pass legislation. They can just whip up arbitrary rules. There is a yet undescribed species of Poecilotheria. I know exactly where it can be found in Sri Lanka. Am I spending thousands of dollars to return to Sri Lanka to collect it for the pet trade to "get rich"? Did I seek it when I was there one year ago? No! Even if I was a collector it would hold no money making possibility. One guy in a room somewhere half way around the world looks at a web page and sees an adult female P. metallica that is third generation captive bred offered for $400 and his little automaton peabrain leaps to the conclusion that there are collectors scouring the Indian forests. He is ignorant to the fact that perhaps 100-200 total Poecs have ever left India and Sri Lanka bound for German and Dutch breeder's terrariums. I'm guessing, but the point is that they aren't Chilean rose hairs. They haven't been raped for profit by the pet trade. 

I believe the whole point of the aforementioned Faffbook group was to get breeders to send data to USFW in support of what I've presented above. I didn't. I've bred as many Poecs as anyone outside of Henrik Wessel Frank or Thorsten Kroes, but I had no inclination to try to enlighten the moronic USFW. Never have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

If Chad or Christian want to blog themselves on the topic they are welcome to. My breeding of Poecs is at its end and my interest is the discussion is nil. I've wrote all I have to honor Chad's prompting. I can't imagine I'll have more to say on "stamp collecting", but that will be next. ask and ye shall receive. mj