# Experts crack down on an animal act



## Bushfire (Aug 13, 2011)

Experts crack down on an animal act - the illegal trade in Australian wildlife | thetelegraph.com.au


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## SteveNT (Aug 14, 2011)

Wow the skinks are worth 3000 each and he gets fined 300??
Yea that'll work!

I remember back in SA a property developer was threatened with a $10,000 fine if he damaged some heritage listed trees. This was less than it would cost to work around them so he just flattened them! 

These piddling fines are not going to deter the illegal collectors. Fair dunkum!


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## Cj3cooper (Aug 14, 2011)

SteveNT said:


> Wow the skinks are worth 3000 each and he gets fined 300??
> Yea that'll work!
> These piddling fines are not going to deter the illegal collectors. Fair dunkum!



my thoughts exactly, what deterrence is there for them to not do it again? go big and go hard at the illegal trade with serious fine and punishment.


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## Pythoninfinite (Aug 14, 2011)

Mmm... the interesting thing is that hundreds of these spiny tails are killed or translocated to Perth every year as passengers in legally collected sandalwood, along with significant numbers of Varanus caudolineatus. The usual propaganda crap with inflated values placed on animals, and stories of the massive desire overseas which for some reason continues despite the fact that many Aussie species are bred in huge numbers o/s already (including the illustrated Frilly) and are avalable cheaper there than they are here!

Not condoning illegal activity by the way, just putting a few things in perspective.

Jamie


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## longqi (Aug 14, 2011)

Jamie
While I agee with what you are saying in many ways; what happened here was pretty clear cut
He collected wild animals
Yet he gets only a $300 fine?
He has probably grabbed another few already to pay his court costs

I wonder what the fine would have been for koalas or platypus etc??
Have a feeling it would have been many many thousands


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## PilbaraPythons (Aug 14, 2011)

Jamie
Unlike the southern morph that occupies to a great deal dead trees that get replaced over time, I am sure you are well aware of the permanent damage of rocky habitat inregards to the collection of the Pilbara form. Why wouldn't the Wildlife authorities get sore about that.


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## PilbaraPythons (Aug 14, 2011)

Unfortunately when the non herping punters out there read storys like that, they universally condem the whole practice and never get to hear about the species where wild collecting ( illegally or otherwise) has no impact.


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## Scleropages (Aug 14, 2011)

Pythoninfinite said:


> Mmm... the interesting thing is that hundreds of these spiny tails are killed or translocated to Perth every year as passengers in legally collected sandalwood, along with significant numbers of Varanus caudolineatus. The usual propaganda crap with inflated values placed on animals, and stories of the massive desire overseas which for some reason continues despite the fact that many Aussie species are bred in huge numbers o/s already (including the illustrated Frilly) and are avalable cheaper there than they are here!
> 
> Not condoning illegal activity by the way, just putting a few things in perspective.
> 
> Jamie



They Guy was collecting to sell them at a profit ,Get your views in perspective , was the person a friend of your'z or something? I am glad they are using DNA testing now... only a matter of time before people wont be able to poach and make a profit.


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## longqi (Aug 14, 2011)

The funniest and saddest thing about this very simple
If you go closer than 50 metres to a whale you get a huge fine

But these were just lizards
Who cares about lizards


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## jedi_339 (Aug 17, 2011)

Article from May


The thing I don't understand is the difference in fines for these two people and between the states, by all means flog them both with even higher fines, $300 is just an outright joke, least this mine worker got a bit more adequate punishment.


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## jack (Aug 17, 2011)

there is a saying, "is that true? or did you read it in the telegraph?"


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## mje772003 (Aug 18, 2011)

its about time as have seen on youtube some americans that have olive pythons and i was under the impression that they were not able to be legally sold overseas?


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