Ethics of Collecting Wild Plants and Animals

[Royal]

Hello Everybody,

This can be a touchy subject, so let's keep it civil.

I'm an avid gardener and orchid grower, and new to vives. In orchid circles, collecting wild plants is kind of taboo. Over collection has impacted many species, and this has put a stigma on any collection. But collecting wild plants is how we have saved some species, and it's how there are plants for me to grow now.

I'm trying to get a feel for how the Herp world views this topic. Is collecting native Herps more accepted? Is it totally unaccepted? I imagine that many Herps have felt similar collection pressure, and I am curious what some experienced vive gurus think about the topic.

[beckdg]

abide by the laws... mind your lists of endangered species, protected species, those with limited native grounds, etc. and i see no issue with it. however you can certainly aid in decimating entire species if you're not careful and diligent in your research.

others obviously feel differently about it... on both ends of the spectrum.

[red_goby]

If you are removing native species, one individual removed from a population (if it's a female) means no offspring, no next generation. That's how I think of it. Native vertebrates that are rare should never be removed from their habitat unless they are sick, and even then it's questionable unless you are a wildlife rehabber.

[boabab95]

I think as long as it's not on the endangered list (even risk of becoming endangered in the next few years) then it's fine. especially if you see 100's - 1000's more around... like moss or ferns and small plants.

[Oblivion]

As most people are saying as long as it isn't on the endangered list, and you know that if you take 1-7 wont effect the environment. Then I say go for it!

But what peeves me off is when people buy an animal from a breeder/store and then deliberately release this animal into the wild. When you could have easily sold it, or given it up for adoption. But that is only when you've bought the animal.

If you have caught the animal from the wild/in your area, I say feel free to let it back into it. I'm sure it will appreciate being back to its 100% natural unconfined environment. Then in a small confined space.

[Epiphile]

Hi Royal,

Here's an old thread I started that gathered a few opinions from the members here (as well as my own). Hopefully there's something in there for you:

On the removal of animals, plants, etc. from nature for our vivariums

[cuervo25_1]

I realize this is an old post but I want to throw my 2 cents worth in. Like many of you I have raided the fields and forests for plants and wildlife eversince I was young. Alot changed when I got into highschool between Agriculture,Horticulture and Biology classes I got a better understanding of how things 'mesh' together and what is good and bad for the eco system. That is when I became much more selective on what I took out, left behind or destroyed.

For example if it was anything that was very common that is not invasive I would take it. If it was something invasive it would be destroyed, if it needed to be I reported to the wildlife dept. ,some fish, mollusks, and plants had to be reported so they could try to figure how much futher they traveled,if it is in a new area and so on. If it was an animal that was protected I would contact the wildlife dept. to see if I was allowed to assist the survivability. I done that a few times with Alligator snapper nests by making a cage to go around and over the nests to protect the eggs from predators until they hatched.