new legislation on invasive species

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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Warren Klein » Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:54 pm

Let’s not put any more ideas in the officials heads by making comparison here between species which have already been unjustifiable listed as invasive and species which some assume to have the potential to become invasive. As BV has already stated there are many factors to consider and it is not right or scientific to list a species as invasive until it has been proven to be so. Until then it's only speculation.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Ruan Stander » Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:57 pm

True.
Again, that makes the list a load of horse sh!t, even by their standards.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby SABOAMAN » Thu Oct 23, 2014 7:31 am

If we thought that the reptile industry got the short end of the stick check out the pigeon farmers / racers. Pigeons got banned on the 1st of August.

This means that the SPCA must enforce / report any activity of this sport.

It would appear that the role players did not take an active approach to the drafted 2004 legislation like the reptile industry did. Now it will be an uphill battle to get the pigeons removed from the banned list.

Full article on IOL news:

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/ ... -1.1769254


Johannesburg - The breeding, trading and racing of pigeons is now illegal, the NSPCA said on Wednesday.

“Activities including the importing, breeding, trading in and translocation of pigeons are now listed as prohibited activities in terms of the Invasive and Alien Species List as published by the department of water and environmental affairs,” the National Council of SPCAs said in a statement.

The prohibition included “releasing of any specimen of a listed invasive species” which effectively meant that “releasing pigeons to race or as homing pigeons” was illegal.

The NSPCA said the new legislation was published in the Government Gazette on August 1.

“Our concerns include the rate of attrition during races. That is, the high number of pigeons who simply do not ever reach their race destination for various reasons including exhaustion, and racing taking place in inclement or extreme weather conditions.”

Relevant industry role players had been informed about the new legislation and the NSPCA was obligated to report any violations to the department, it said.

President of the SA National Pigeon Organisation (Sanpo), Faunty Gillmer said they were seeking a meeting with the environmental affairs minister.

He said the new law, which had been in the pipeline since 2004, would do away with the 100-year-old sport of pigeon racing.

“Pigeon racing is a professional sport and has in recent times become an expensive sport... we are members of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee,” Gillmer said.

According to its website, Sanpo organises and promotes pigeon racing and the showing of pigeons. It has 5000 members.

Gillmer said his organisation had written a letter to the deputy environment minister and was awaiting a reply.

The Sanpo would approach the courts should the meeting with the minister not yield any favourable results, Gillmer said.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Ruan Stander » Thu Oct 23, 2014 11:30 pm

See 'clowns'.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Savu » Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:17 am

I feel sorry for the guys. They obviously have the same passion for their hobby as we do. So as I understand it,it is illegal to breed and release them(as in race them) because of the invasive alien species law. Where does the SPCA suddenly fit into this. Do they have the mandate to police the keeping of invasive species?
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Westley Price » Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:56 am

The environmental affairs department reacted tot he SPCA statement saying it is untrue.

Although the species of racing pigeon is the same species as the feral pigeon mentioned in the invasive species document, they deemed pigeon racing not to be a significant threat.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... t-20141023

This smacks of double standards. Why can they keep pigeons (are release them for racing purposes) which are listed in the document, but we cannot keep the reptile species listed?

Make no mistake, I have no issue with pigeon racing at all, I just think they guys in charge of drafting and enforcing these laws need to revisit what they are doing. Either remove the species of pigeon from the list completely, or ban pigeon racing. One or the other.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Inyanga » Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:10 am

@Westly Price

Interesting. There is no exemption listed in the document and, if read as for all other listed organisms the SPCA's interpretation is correct. Last minute spin doctoring perhaps.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby seuna » Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:53 pm

Why is some rattlesnake species on the list and some not.

Crotalus,the Rattlesnake species,the most bought at pet shops.

Crotalus Atrox baby's go for R200-R300 and now they want people to pay R100 per restricted activity

WTF.

Now we also have to get permits for our only commonly known BIG Snakes namely Burmese pythons,Redtail Boas

Who agrees with me that this is wrong?

There goes the next generation of Herpers :'(
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Westley Price » Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:51 am

Seuna, I think you are missing the plot here.

The less expensive snakes such as C. atrox are actually part of the problem. If a keeper doesn't have much money and time invested in a snakes, it's easier to release or allow it to escape. But if you pay R5,000 for a GTP, you will make damn sure it doesn't escape.

And Burmese could potentially be a problem in certain provinces, so I totally understand that too.

The Western Cape had had a permit system for as long as I can remember and the reptile keeping community is quite strong down there; I doubt that having to get a permit will result in a loss in the next generation of herpers. We can thank our lucky stars that we can still keep certain exotic species without permits. In the WC all exotic species require permits.

BTW,the entire typical rattlesnake genus is category 2 (require permits) as far as I can remember, but the pygmy rattlers (Sisturus) are still allowed, so it's not only Crotalus atrox that is affected, but all other species too.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Warren Klein » Mon Nov 03, 2014 9:26 am

Regulation is much more favorable than an outright ban on any species and still allows dedicated keepers to operate. Ideally we as the reptile community should regulate ourselves through our peers rather than leaving this task to less knowledgeable decision markers.
An inaccurate naturalist is a pest and a danger, forever perpetuating illogical deductions and landing later naturalists in trouble. Damm and blast them all to hell in the most painful way. C.J.P. Ionides
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Savu » Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:47 pm

I would suggest that when applying for a permit for exotics,they should put the following requirements on the application.A: the applicant must have alternative electricity supply available ( generator),to provide for animals heating requirements.B: the applicant must have alternative water supply (borehole),so as to supply animals with drinking water. C: the applicant must apply through alternative communication,and NOT through post. ( which doesn't exist anymore). I can just imagine the chaos,of this lot,in processing thousands of permit applications,and they can't even keep the basics going.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Ruan Stander » Tue Nov 04, 2014 1:09 pm

Savu why do you propose that ?
That seems like a bit of a stretch.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Savu » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:58 pm

Was just being cynical. There are more real issues than making idiotic lists,just to piss people off.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby Ruan Stander » Tue Nov 04, 2014 10:37 pm

Thank goodness ;)
Hell you never know with these guys.
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Re: new legislation on invasive species

Postby SABOAMAN » Mon Mar 09, 2015 12:21 pm

The reason that KZN has gone total dead lock with permits for everything???

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/ ... P1yDdJxnR0

Looks like their incompetence has no bounds and they are in serious need of funds, therefore the easy targets in the reptile community with a permit for everything.
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