Aquatopia

I still don't see why these costs, whatever they may be, cannot be paid by the fine imposed ? Still, Im not going to get stressed over caring about something over which I have no control. :evil:

Nav thats not what this thread is about though. Its about repatriating illegally imported animals. Thanks anyway.

Nav, have you read the rest of this thread from the beginning ? That is not what we are talking about.

Again, all you are saying is "thousands". Do you actually know exactly what it costs ? I understand from Redwood Aquatics that they are charged $1600 to have their imported fish checked. This is for a whole shipment and this thread is dicussing only two snakes. Also, as I have tried to explain, there is a difference between charging a commercial fee for a service by a government department, as opposed to the actual cost of doing that. When one government department does something for another government department they would not be charging each other in the same way they would charge someone for a commercial service. My other point is that the "thousands" it costs would be offset by the "thousands" that the perpetrator of this offence was fined !!! Importing an animal illegally carries a fine (if i remember rightly from the program) of up to $20,000. I cannot in my wildest imagination think it would cost $20,000 to repatriate a couple of snakes. In fact I would bet my left one on the fact it would not cost that much. Personally I think some people just like to put obstacles in the way of something by taking a pessimistic defeatest attitude. phoenix44 - i know they have to fly but as i said - its an airlines responsibility to ensure they are carrying what a declaration states - in this case they were not and therefore they should be made to take it back at no cost (they do it with passengers after all, if they do not arrive somewhere with valid paperwork) Even if there was a charge to take the snakes back then this would be paid for by the fine levied on the offender.

Alanmin4304, I dont understand where you get this "megabucks cost" from ? Can you elaborate on your sources ? We have already established that Taronga zoo (on behalf of australian biosecurity), runs a quarantine facility for the purposes of evaluating unauthorised arrivals - so that is there anyway (and therefore being funded). The suggestion is that illegal imports are sent back to origin as a penalty against the airline that carried them incorrectly in the first place - again there is only a paper cost involved here, no money would necessarily be involved. If they were sent to an alternative / more appropriate destination then fair enough. It was further suggested that the SPCA (in this case) might be involved with local repatriation. Im not convinced the numbers of returned animals would be so great as to cause a huge burden on such resources, but even if there was cost involved this could/should be met (in part if not in full) by fines levied against the person who brought the animal in illegally in the first place. - In this instance the person was identified and fined so I see no reason why that fine could not be directed to relevant resources accordingly.

i dont think anyone would argue with that my point is that once they arrive, especially if they are on the CITES list, we have a moral responsibility not to just kill them because its the easiest / cheapest thing to do.

Concern and vigilence over imported diseases is important, but it does make me laugh (in an ironic and sad way), because history has shown that on several occasions, deliberate and approved action has caused as much if not more carnage to both the animal and the human world than accidental arrival of little critters. Possums in New Zealand, Cane toads in Australia and western human diseases in the rainforests spring to mind. At the end of the day, a famous quote from Jurassic Park springs to mind.... Nature finds a way !

firenzenz - thats spectacular ! care to list those inhabitants ? remind me the name of the last one - is it borleyi ? what dimensions is the tank, cos its got some great aquascaping. Would love to see a bigger version of the general pic.

They probably have, but this was current and caught my attention.

Spot on livingart - spot on Start impounding peoples property or throwing them in jail and it might make them think twice.

Sometimes, when life is involved, be it animal or human, cost should not be the only consideration. In fact, the cost of keeping small animals in quarantine is nowhere near the cost pet owners are actually charged. The ability to hold animals in quarantine at Taronga zoo exists and is maintained all the time regardless of whether there are animals there - so to have actually kept a couple of snakes for a few days until it could be arranged for them to be sent on somewhere appropriate would not, in my mind, have been that large. Still, unless any of us have actual facts and figures its pure speculation. For my two cents though, no-one will change my opinion on how rediculous it seems to kill two herps on the CITES list when efforts could have been made to 'repatriate' them.

Interesting point - and some of 'em probably have nastier diseases than a poor sold snake can bring in !! :roll:

I agree with you both in principal The other solutions people have suggested would seem to make sense at least though - because killing an animal under those circumstances still seems bang out of order. It was kept under quarantine conditions to ascertain what it was in the first place, so then it would seem logical to maintain quarantine conditions and arrange for safe return to point of origin, along with liaison with the local SPCA to arrange return to the wild.

Thats a damn fine solution !

Did anyone else watch the australian Border Security program on TV last night ? Some twerp from melbourne imported two green tree pythons from South Africa (illegally). They came out of transit in perfect condition, which was good in itself, but because of biosecurity etc they were euthanased at Taronga Zoo - too much of a health risk apparently. Crazy crazy crazy. And so tragic - these snakes really were amazingly healthy. Surely they could have been kept in quarantine to check their health and then at least shown at the zoo ? Or sent on somewhere that they would have been accepted or returned to their native environment ? The airline carrying them in the first place should have been made to bear the cost of shipping and I am sure there would have been an animal society in S. Africa that would have taken them back to nature. They do have SPCA over there after all. I just dont agree with the policy of killing stuff you dont want. Grrrr :evil: :evil:

LOL, just dont hook it up to a socket !

Cool, i will have to do a bit more digging, so to speak, lol.

Hi - cream colour would be great if I could get hold of some - how did you get yours ? I read the following on a website when I was researching the stuff - "Golden Bay Dolomite is a 100% New Zealand owned company. We are situated at the foot of Mount Burnett, in Golden Bay. Our quarry is the only source of commercially available Dolomite in New Zealand" So if there are other ways of getting hold of it from other sources I would be chuffed

not that im aware of

Even better - proves there are plenty of people being successful with their breeding Im still waiting on hearing back regarding the dolomite rock i want for my tank but its dragging on so long i may have to change my ideas on that unfortunately. Thats another story though - meantime I can wait since your tank is inspiration enough to me to get mine right first time.

Their head office is definitely in chch Dont know if thats the right number but they will soon tell you if not. The staff were very helpful with my query.

they are the nicest bristlenoses i have seen ! That tank is rapidly becoming a masterpiece !

Dixon1990, did you use the external measurements for that 202L or did you take into account of the glass thickness and use the internal measurement, hehehehe.