FLINTUS said:I think the thread is not just debating those pictures now, but the whole radiata importation/exportation/extinction problem-that's how I've read the posts after the 1st page at least.
To reply to your last paragraph, Madagascar is not as poor as a lot of countries. It still has tourism and plentiful natural resources to use-although as discussed that is causing loss of habitat. It's a bit of a catch 22. Due to poverty, tortoises are being eaten, but to get people out of poverty, funds that could be used for conservation will have to be used for people. However, from what I believe-correct me if I'm wrong here-, while some tortoises are eaten there, it is not 'in the culture' to eat them. Tortoises eaten per person, there will be a lot more in some of the Asian countries.
Eric, I know Madagascar is struggling in terms of conservation. I was referring to why due to the country's condition Yellow Turtle thinks it is acceptable for them to become extinct. Surely it is better to fix a problem, rather than say 'its already being destroyed, let's move on and try and protect somewhere else'. All through history that has happened, and most of the time it hasn't worked. In some ways, until recently, that was what happened in Mauritius-which of course saw the extinction of some very remote, isolated, species.
I will just point out I am not in favor of wild collecting, except for species rarely bred in captivity, or if there has been too much inbreeding.
Yes, this should be an informative thread about radiata availability in my country, when one people started bashing in with unnecessary comment.
Well not like our dear fellow tortoise God wannabe, I haven't visited Madagascar myself. All informations and articles including GBP are taken from the internet and if what told are correct, they aren't doing pretty well.
So why you think there is something wrong with people eating turtles/tortoise in some parts of the world? Asian people does that, as well as some guys in American continent. But I absolutely don't believe Chinese poking radiata shells and eating their livers, like 1 telenovela actor told in a TV show last year.
And we absolutely have different view. To me, saving people is priority over tortoise. But, if someone can get all those tortoise out from the destroyed habitat there and breed them somewhere. I would absolutely feel very happy.
Well, I don't like inbreeding, too. But I would opt for it rather than see them extinct.