Is it ethical to overcollect an invasive species?

[skilletsteve]

I sat here with this screen open five minutes thinking of what more to add, all I can say is that I am thinking about the invasive burmese python population in the everglades. It is estimated at 100,000+ snakes that shouldn't be there, so would overcollecting really be an issue?

 

[jayefbe]

Of course not. They are doing python hunts, and as a burmese python owner, I'd have no problem going out and killing them.

Also, there are probably way less than 100,000. All the "estimates" have been done by counting the number of burms in prime burm territory and extrapolating the density over all of the everglades. Nevertheless, they should be out of there.

 

[Scoolman]

If the species is invasive, I do not see how one could call it "over" collecting. They don't belong there in the first place. I would think one would call it removal, relocation, or irradication.
I have heard about the python situation, but have not ever heard any of the details. Are they displacing other species, or causing complications in the ecosystem? Or, are they just a nusiance for the human population?

 

[ZergFront]

Yeah, I wonder if it would be OK if people out of state could collect a bunch of them for the pet trade. Any that are found over there by wildlife wranglers are humanely euthanized anyway. I don't think "overcollect" would be a proper wording for this either. They don't belong there and neither do the monitors, B.vagans or Avics.

 

[jayefbe]

There's really no point in collecting them for the pet trade. Normal burm offspring are already cheap and readily available.

 

[BorisTheSpider]

There is a show that comes on animal planet ( I think ) that follows animal control officers around Florida . They had an episode that had wild pythons and I think that they said that collecting them is illegal . It's been a while since I've seen it but I'm pretty sure that's what they said .

 

[ShawnH]

I thought they had a bunch of rednecks out there shooting the snakes anyhow.

 

[snakemaster1]

They are treating the burmese pythons with real care in all the python hunts here is a link to some pictures .
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-pythons-skinned-pg,0,4107361.photogallery

The Burmese pythons in Flordia is a problem however they are NOT an invasive species as they will never be able to establish outside of Florida they will die just like a lot of them did during the cold winter weather.
Now if they treated all animals in the same way there would be a small revolt happening.

 

[myrmecophile]

Just because they wont be able to establish well outside of Florida does not make them non invasive. They are established well in Florida which is not their natural homeland, therefore they are invasive within that area.

 

[skilletsteve]

There is a show that comes on animal planet ( I think ) that follows animal control officers around Florida . They had an episode that had wild pythons and I think that they said that collecting them is illegal . It's been a while since I've seen it but I'm pretty sure that's what they said .

That just seems weird that they wouldn't want you to collect a species that doesn't belong there and is damaging to the ecosystem. i guess that's government for ya.

 

[jayefbe]

That just seems weird that they wouldn't want you to collect a species that doesn't belong there and is damaging to the ecosystem. i guess that's government for ya.

Well, the most damaging animal to the everglades ecosystem is without a doubt man. If everyone was heading down there to catch themselves some burms it'd probably cause more damage than good.

 

[skilletsteve]

true, maybe if they just allocated a certain number of permits a year or something for people interested in collecting we'd get the best of both.

 

[Lucas339]

it is illegal to collect anything within the everglades park. i have herd of a couple of people from faunaclassifeds getting fined for collecting them. the hunting they are doing is not with a gun. you have to hand wrangle them and then kill them on sight by hand. the place where they are hunting them there are no guns allowed. i think this is a great idea but agree that they should be used for some market. they are used for meat and skins in their native areas. i fully agree with collecting them till they are none left.

JFB you are exactly right about the numbers. on the news, (the glades aren't too far from me) everytime they bring it up, it grows by 100,000. i think i herd 400,000 from one station. they best part is that when they did their numbers, they failed to account for the amount of the glades that are under water.

 

[Nomadinexile]

NO! They have been trying for years in Louisiana to find a way to get people to come hunt Nutria. They started trying to make it a tasty game meat. That didn't work to well as they are basically giant rats, and there's a taboo against eating rats in our culture. So now they are trying to make Nutria Fur Pelts the first environmentally friendly fur. There are hipster/punk Nutria fashion shows in New Orleans. I plan on Making a Hoody with them.

Oh, and if someone gets the permits or whatever to hunt the burmese in florida, and needs somewhere to sell the pelts, let me know,... I can't pay top dollar I'm guessing (how much does B. python hide go for anyway?) but I'd use them for the masks I make, and pay what I could, just to help get rid of them. Plus, they'd make cool masks. You can email me about this by clicking on my screen name. Thanks, r

 

[whitewolf]

NO! They have been trying for years in Louisiana to find a way to get people to come hunt Nutria. They started trying to make it a tasty game meat. That didn't work to well as they are basically giant rats, and there's a taboo against eating rats in our culture. So now they are trying to make Nutria Fur Pelts the first environmentally friendly fur. There are hipster/punk Nutria fashion shows in New Orleans. I plan on Making a Hoody with them.

Yeah we got them here on the coast too. I hate those nasty looking things. I saw something on them one night where SWAT goes out and shoots them. Good target practice.

 

[Sarcastro]

Collect all you want their an invasive species and screwing up the food chain down there..you might as well make some money doing it some county's are willing to pay by the foot for specimens,so they can do a gastric-autopsy to see what its been eating to asses the damage to the environment.I have a friend in Florida that turns the one's he catches into wallets and boots.

 

[Shrike]

If the species is invasive, I do not see how one could call it "over" collecting. They don't belong there in the first place.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[bugmankeith]

They should collect the pythons, and re-sell them for money to put towards the everglades.

 

[ZergFront]

I bet python meat would sell pretty good in Texas.

 

[Moltar]

This can be a pretty tricky question in certain cases. What if you have a predatory species which is endangered in its home range that has been introduced to an ecosystem heavily affected by man that now lacks a predator? Now say that species cannot be shown to have any detrimental effects on the ecosystem. Now lets assume they are naturally contained by habitat or climate and can't spread beyond a certain area.

What then?

I'm not saying this is the situation with the Florida pythons but it could certainly happen. What if, for example, the american alligator hadn't recovered from all the damage we caused and did actually go extinct back in the 80's. Would it then be ethical to let some other introduced species of gator/cayman/croc habitate in the Everglades?