Wild Caught Ball Pythons

So, I was looking around on YouTube....trying to find a good "National Geographic" or "Discovery Channel" type video of Ball Pythons in the wild.
The only one I could find right away was a video, a bad one at that from a camera phone it seems, of a few guys reaching into burrows and yanking out wild Ball Pythons. Not only that, but unraveling a female from her eggs, and taking her too. They have bags, and it appears that they are collecting them to sell abroad as wild-caught ball pythons. (SEE BELOW FOR VIDEO)

This kind of rubbed me the wrong way. As far as I am concerned, there are more than enough captive born & bred ball pythons that this can be stopped.
I think at this point we are just raping a continent of beautiful, peaceful, native snakes. I most certainly DO NOT think that we are going to discover some crazy-cool, naturally occurring morph that has not already been found.

So that's they question of the poll.
DO YOU THINK THERE IS STILL ANY REASON TO STILL BE "HARVESTING" WILD-CAUGHT BALL PYTHONS?

Maybe it's just me...but I thought this would be a good topic starter and I hope people voice their opinions on it. The poll will be private, so no one will know how you voted. Remember, let's keep it civil. I don't want to invoke anyone breaking rules or anything. Debates can get hot sometimes, but keep your cool:cool:
YouTube - Ball pythons in the wild

Thanks for any opinions,
SpiderBP

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Without Wild Caught BPs we wouldn't have these marvelous morphs like Platinums! Seriously, you'd kill a lot of great genetic lines.

Now if we end up harming the wild population we could always send some back to live in the wild, so we could help maintain the balance.

Add in that it also offers jobs to a continent that is filled with fighting, starvation, and unemployment. Come on, you really want to put more people out of work?

Hey if some1 made a order of wild caught pythons can u raise ur hand, shame on u:mad:

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Without Wild Caught BPs we wouldn't have these marvelous morphs like Platinums! Seriously, you'd kill a lot of great genetic lines.

Now if we end up harming the wild population we could always send some back to live in the wild, so we could help maintain the balance.

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Ok...(theoretically)

So it's okay wipe out a species in it's native land as long as "someday" we fix it?
While I'm sure their are plenty of people who agree with you....how many of them will be helping/funding this project of replenishing the wild population when "someday" comes around?

Remember, when it comes to something that benefits someone with little effort, that someone will be all for it. But when it comes to doing something to benefit an animal, and will take ALOT of effort, that same someone may be "all talk".

Thanks for joining in on the discussion though....and please don't hate me just cause I don't agree with you....
That's something I want everyone who comments on this thread to remember....these are just opinions. And everyone's entitled to them.

:D

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Originally Posted by harm286

Hey if some1 made a order of wild caught pythons can u raise ur hand, shame on u:mad:

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Huh? I'm afraid I don't undertand your statement...?

I will be happy to read it again if you could explain it to me?

-SpiderBP

I take in unwanted snakes in my area and about 80% of my rescues have been Ball Pythons. Honestly, if it's a normal just leave it alone, we don't need to be bringing in anymore. I'm pretty sure we have FAR more than we need to supply people with breeding. Though if a morph in the wild is found, I don't have a problem with bringing in that lone snake who probably is having issues catching food anyways.

They were calling out people who have purchased/ordered wild caught animals and then scolding them for disagreeing with it.

Also I didn't say we would do it "some day" I said if there is an issue with their numbers in the wild then we should help. Believe me there is no shortage of normal BPs being produced, and even single trait codoms being made, we could easily send out hundreds to be released in the wild with no negative effect on the industry and (provided we know its necessary beforehand) it would help bolster any dwindling population in the wild. There are plenty of people producing hundreds of snakes a year, all it would take is a return shipment to Africa of some of these snakes.

Add in that many people around here actually care about these snakes in general, not just the ones in our collections, I'm quite sure that if were published that the wild population is dwindling, then hundreds, if not thousands, of people would end up donating to help, money that could be used to either set up breeding programs in Africa or to send hundreds of snakes back to be released in the wild.

Carusima- You make a great point...if a morph is found in the wild that due to color/pattern would make it difficult for wild survival, then ok...you are saving an animal.

Another point I forgot to make on OxyLepy first comment...
We wouldn't be killing genetic lines. The genetic lines that exist in the pet trade in the United States are already thriving...or they wouldn't be available for sale. And if they aren't thriving...it's because they are an early project....as long as a handful of breeders have a certain type of morph, then babies WILL be made....and WILL be sold. Without capturing wild versions of morphs that are already heavily present in the captive born & bred industry.

I remember reading that the Black Pastels had multiple lines shipped in from Africa and each is different in its own way, its not just about entirely new morphs, it's also about increasing the genetic lines of pre-existing morphs. I believe that something similar has happened with Lessers, where aside from the Platinum purchased by Ralph Davis there were also other wild Lessers which could be new genetic lines shipped in.

Look at the different Ghosts as well, there are a handful of different lines of them, some arent even compatible with others.

I'm not saying "hey lets go out with Ball Python catching machines and dig up every last Ball in Africa and ship it here" I'm just saying lets not stop all imports entirely just because hey we have a lot already.

Its definitely good to see that pet stores aren't taking WC animals anymore and almost exclusively sell CB animals now.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

They were calling out people who have purchased/ordered wild caught animals and then scolding them for disagreeing with it.

Also I didn't say we would do it "some day" I said if there is an issue with their numbers in the wild then we should help. Believe me there is no shortage of normal BPs being produced, and even single trait codoms being made, we could easily send out hundreds to be released in the wild with no negative effect on the industry and (provided we know its necessary beforehand) it would help bolster any dwindling population in the wild. There are plenty of people producing hundreds of snakes a year, all it would take is a return shipment to Africa of some of these snakes.

Add in that many people around here actually care about these snakes in general, not just the ones in our collections, I'm quite sure that if were published that the wild population is dwindling, then hundreds, if not thousands, of people would end up donating to help, money that could be used to either set up breeding programs in Africa or to send hundreds of snakes back to be released in the wild.

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You can't send captive reptiles back into the wild. Who knows what sorts of immunities our snakes have picked up from other herps in our collections, or if we might accidentally introduce a nonnative parasite? Sending "contaminated" captive animals back into the wild is not a real option, as it could end up doing more harm than good.