snake smuggling ring within NZ

[Fuscus]

Interesting the they are worried about pythons that properly couldn't survive unassisted in NZ but allow EWD which properly could survive unassisted in NZ
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3592201&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

 

[Jonny]

I guess they would want anything that could possible devour their ground dwelling birds. They already have a hard enough time keeping the feral possums/rabbits/ferrets/wallabies/deer under control, last thing they would want is another exotic running rampage

 

[instar]

Forgive my ignorance but arnt there snakes native to nz? If there are, why arnt they allowed to keep their own natives?
I thought only the poles and ireland were snake free? :?

 

[Fuscus]

http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/features/nature_keas-mud_feature.cfm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0809_020808_wirnzsnake.html#main

 

[instar]

Thanks Fuscus, damn shame for kiwis, no wonder they are keen to smuggle! I learnt something new today, mustnt be an old dog afterall. lol
look at thislink
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/03/0318_0319_twoheadsnake.html

 

[rodentrancher]

Verrrrry Interesting Inny!

 

[herptrader]

Forgive my ignorance but arnt there snakes native to nz? If there are, why arnt they allowed to keep their own natives?
I thought only the poles and Ireland were snake free? :?

There are no snakes indigenous to NZ or Ireland or Poland. :evil: Apparently some religious fruit loop chased them out many centauries ago. :evil:

Given the destruction that something as benign as possums and wallabies have done you can imagine what damage introducing a feral predator would be.

I can see the headline now: "Australian Olive pythons wipe out last kiwi"

I think they are right to be careful. In many ways the ecology of NZ is much more fragile than that of OZ. Remember their ecology also evolved as an isolated island... only a much smaller one than Australia.

 

[Paddy]

snakes

i think inny was referring to the north and south poles as opposed to the residents of poland. mainland europe has a number of natives snakes which i am sure are present in poland!
rumour has it st. patrick chased out the snakes from ireland, silly bugger- it was meant to be cats he banished but he got it wrong on the day!!!!!!

 

[PilbaraPythons]

Fuscus
I am fairly sure that there would be a few species of snakes that would indeed do okay in New Zealand unassisted.
Cheers Dave

 

[Fuscus]

Fuscus
I am fairly sure that there would be a few species of snakes that would indeed do okay in New Zealand unassisted.
Cheers Dave

I agree. Anything that lives in southern Aust for a start But it seems silly that they allow in EWD considering that they are colonizing the Adalaide hills ATM, ie a known invasive species.

 

[PilbaraPythons]

Fuscus
The EWDs plus a few blueys and I think but I 'm not sure a few Bearded dragons were in fact the stock from two animal parks that closed down some time ago. These animals went to private keepers and they were allowed to sell them or any future off spring from them. They are definately not allowing the importation of such animals in a private capacity to my knowledge.

 

[Hickson]

They're not saying they are importing EWD, I think they were imported years ago, and have been kept as pets ever since.

But I agree with what has been said before - an introduced snake (especially am arboreal one) has the potential to wipe out entire species of birds and reptiles indigenous to NZ.



Hix

 

[instar]

LOl, thanks paddy, yes i did mean the north n south poles ,well above and below a certain latitude anyway :lol: No idea about poland tho, perhaps they were jewish snakes driven out in ww2? :lol: