USARK Alert: Diamondback Terrapin ESA Listing

[Homebody]

ALERT: Diamondback Terrapin ESA Listing Snippet: On September 19, 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service (informally known as NOAA Fisheries and an agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA) to list the Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA)... Like many aspects of our world today, ESA must update and evolve. Enacted in 1973, ESA is now outdated and flawed. While well-intended in 1973, and vital for protecting U.S. native species when warranted, the efforts made to protect our endangered species create regulations lacking nuance, which can be harmful to saving species. ESA listings that rely only upon traditional conservation approaches, such as the methodology in this petition, and do not consider our modern world are an illogical dead-end for endangered species. Read the full alert at https://usark.org/24esa3/. ALERT: Bill to Add Herps and Fish to the Animal Welfare Act On September 12, Representative Betty McCollum introduced HR9571, which will “amend the Animal Welfare Act to include cold-blooded species as animals, and for other purposes.” This will add reptiles, amphibians, fish, and cephalopods “as animals” under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), meaning the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must develop new regulations. Basically, the USDA would now be required to license and inspect facilities and breeders with these animals. Businesses would need to comply with new USDA regulations or lose their licenses. The USDA recently began inspecting and licensing aviculturists (bird breeders). The bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture Committee. We will post more information when available. Read the bill text at https://usark.org/24us1/. Snippet: The term ‘animal’ means any live or dead warm-blooded animal (including a dog, cat, monkey (nonhuman primate mammal), guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or bird), cold-blooded animal (including a reptile, amphibian, cephalopod, or fish)... ALERT: Louisiana Herp Regulation Hearing Update from September 16: The updated text is posted at https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/24-LA-herp-NOI-2.pdf. The changes are highlighted. Underlined text is new and strikethrough text has been deleted. Update from September 5, 2024: The amendments (changes from the previous version) were presented at today’s Commission Meeting. Only two herpetoculturists spoke regarding the rules: a Louisiana turtle breeder and Phil Goss of USARK. The Commissioners accepted the amendments. This opens a new public comment period until October 22. The Commissioners will receive the public comments at a future meeting. LDWF will hold a meeting/workshop to discuss the changes on the date and location below. We will post the changes as soon as we receive the final copy (which will not be posted in the State Register until September 20, but we will get the document posted ASAP). Tuesday, October 22, 2024 @ 10:00 AM LDWF Headquarters 2000 Quail Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Updates will be posted at https://usark.org/24_la/. Light Bulb Ban Read more information with contact details at https://usark.org/24doe/. In 2022, the Department of Energy (“Department”) passed a regulation that banned certain incandescent light bulbs. Basically, light bulbs are deemed inefficient if they do not emit a certain amount of lumens per watt. This was meant to transition from less efficient bulbs to more efficient lighting, like LED bulbs. Reptile lighting is a specialty item and is not used for general-purpose lighting in homes and businesses. However, certain bulbs were reviewed solely on how many lumens they produced per watt. Herp keepers know that halogen and basking bulbs are not used in household lamps for general lighting. Read the rest at https://usark.org/24doe/. ARTICLE: "Light bulb ban threatens reptile, amphibian welfare" by the Veterinary Infomation Network snippet: "The ban should be a concern of animal caretakers for many species," said Latney, a senior veterinarian at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center who also is chair of the Association for Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV). "This is particularly true for captive reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammal species that have limited exposure to natural, unfiltered sunlight." Read the full article at https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=12254509&f5=1. Grants for Teachers: Pets in the Classroom The Pets in the Classroom grant program supports teachers in enhancing students' educational and personal development through interaction with pets in their classrooms. Pets in the Classroom is now accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year. Begin the Application Process Here: https://petsintheclassroom.org/about-our-grants/ "We are excited to share our Pets in the Classroom program with you! Pets in the Classroom was founded to enhance students' educational and personal development through interaction with pets in their classrooms. Our no-hassle grant program supports Pre-K through 9th-grade teachers in enhancing students' educational and personal development through interaction with pets in their classrooms. If you meet the qualifications, you will receive a grant. And, not only will we help you purchase your classroom pet and set up its classroom habitat, but we will help you continue caring for it through its lifetime!" - Pets in the Classroom Find A Vet Need a good herp veterinarian? The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) can help. ARAV offers a free Find-A-Vet service at http://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661. Get shirts and more! USARK Online Swag Shop Our shop is open at https://usark.org/shop/(or simply click the "Shop" link in the menu on our website). We currently have two shirts and three hats available for sale.

[Homebody]

Me with a Diamondback Terrapin

[Homebody]

The Center for Biological Diversity's petition can be found on their website here (Link).

[Malum Argenteum]

" the efforts made to protect our endangered species create regulations lacking nuance"

Hmmm. USARK's positions tend to lack nuance as well, so I don't know.

On captive breeding, mentioned in the full alert ("(NOTE: Captive breeding is negligibly mentioned in the petition, and “captive-bred” is dismissively used in quotes, thus misleading that all diamondback terrapins in the pet trade are wild-caught.)":

The largest trade is certainly in exported specimens. Since the species was CITES listed in late 2013, about 3200 CB animals were exported. More than 48,000 that were not CB were (legally) exported during that period (and at least a thousand per year were trafficked during some of that period*). So, captive breeding is about 6% of legal trade.

*Another relevant illustration: a pretty major current seller of Malaclemys terrapin was convicted in 2019 of trafficking WC turtles. The illegal movement of native turtles out of the US is common. ESA listed species, not so much.