# Chelonian History III



## Kapidolo Farms (Jul 17, 2013)

Hi,

This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuRwHg_kzh4&feature=youtu.be first came to me in 1990 from Harold Carty, the person who was the topic in Chelonian History II.

See the YouTube tag line for the source of the video. 

Even though in 'turtle years' this was not so long ago, it was the first video where I saw of some of these species, now more common in the higher end of the chelonian trade.

Though the idea now of capturing things like this in a video format seems so common place today with everyone carrying video recorders around as handheld devices (cell phones), this was some big deal stuff to get those 20+ years ago.

It later lead me to the same market to see for myself these animals. I got there in 2001. That market had been shut down for the most part, and seeing the rare animals was then under the cover of night and weird small rooms underground inside large family compounds.

If you all have specific questions I'll answer as best can. Later under this same subject thread I will post the much more hair raising video shoot by McCord.

Will


----------



## wellington (Jul 17, 2013)

Should have come with a warning. Brought tears to my eyes how those types of people that care more about money then any living thing can be like that. The horrible way one can imagine they were captured and then the horrible way they are cared for, sickens me. If you know, did those people know they were being filmed and Were they being filmed for some kind of animal rights group? Were they shut down due in part because of this video?


----------



## Kapidolo Farms (Jul 17, 2013)

In one part of the video you see some fat stacks ($$) being handed over and military personel carrying automatic rifles, money and guns get access to things like this. The same people the same values, maybe blocked by your tears?

The "market" was shut down, more or less, not the trade. When I was there about 10+ years later I did not need the guns but the $ got me access and I was with locals in uniform. It all happens here in the bright and shiny USA too.

Will


----------



## EricIvins (Jul 17, 2013)

wellington said:


> Should have come with a warning. Brought tears to my eyes how those types of people that care more about money then any living thing can be like that. The horrible way one can imagine they were captured and then the horrible way they are cared for, sickens me. If you know, did those people know they were being filmed and Were they being filmed for some kind of animal rights group? Were they shut down due in part because of this video?



Never been to a third world country huh?


----------



## wellington (Jul 17, 2013)

No, never have been never will be, never wanted to. I wouldn't get out alive and a lot of them wouldn't live to see night fall. When it comes to animals, my German temper takes me over and it's not a good thing, well for animals it is, for people it's not.


----------



## cemmons12 (Jul 17, 2013)

Thanks for the warning Barb! I cant stand to watch our beloved torts being mistreated period! So with the warning I must pass on this youtube crap.


----------



## tortadise (Jul 17, 2013)

I will chime in and be Devils advocate here a little I suppose. If you have to put yourself in those peoples shoes, and walk a mile the daily life they live. Perhaps more of us would understand detrimental and "hangin by a string" life a lot of those people that catch, sell, or supply these markets(which btw are rather old videos). Yes it still goes on, just more underground and hush hush like manner than just open market. Some open markets still exist. But when your born into a culture of poverty even ghettos in the US cant come close to being a fractional of how bad their royalty are in nations like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc.. You will quickly get a better understanding of their side of the story. Which really isnt a story to them. its really surviving to feed the family, live another day. Humanity does have a very destructive and un forgiving presence about them. Especially dictated in this film. 

I first handily have experienced similar events in Central America. Over 35000 olive ridley sea turtle eggs are taken at ostinal nesting sites and eaten, put in rum drinks, sold as a taboo. This is acceptable to the natives, but not to 1st, 2nd or modernized generational society. But without those people collecting the same eggs the population of surviving seas turtles led out to sea would be much higher. These same people guard and protect the hath clings that do hatch a safe passage to sea. Its cultural history of society, and typical human behavior. Unfortunately most may see a sad site. I aggree it is sad. But when we eat our #3 at McDonalds, or dirka latte venti trenta cream coffee from Starbucks. Just remember the video and what some people have to do to just buy rice to feed their family. Creatures of survival we seem to be.


----------



## EricIvins (Jul 17, 2013)

This youtube "crap" is incredibly valuable to any Chelonian keeper. But that is the disconnect between a "keeper" and a "pet" owner.....


----------



## tortadise (Jul 18, 2013)

This may be a very informative sad, and true condition of a video. Given that this video is showing some heated passion from many members I am going to close this thread for further commenting so we dont get into a debate and start slandering members.


----------

