European Keepers - be aware!

[gregmonsta]

Copied from RFUK -

Invasive Alien Species - Online public consultation Dear all,

The European Union is currently carrying out a public consultation on the way it should control potentially invasive alien species (IAS) across the whole of the EU. This is your opportunity to make your views known to the politicians who will be making decisions that could affect the future of reptile keeping across the EU, including the UK.

What is an Invasive Alien Species (IAS)?
Any species (animals and plants, but also other organisms) which is transported to an area which is not within its normal geographical range is a potential IAS. To be an IAS, however, the species needs to be released into the new location, be able to survive in the new area if released and then be able to reproduce and spread.

Why is this important?
An animal released into an area to which it is not native may cause no ill effect at all. It may not survive at all and even if it does it could have no effect on the local ecosystem. Some species can, however, cause ecological or economic damage which can affect native species or cost governments many millions of pounds to tackle.

How does this affect my hobby?
Reptile keeping (and many other hobbies, such as gardening) involve keeping species that are not native to the EU, such as corn snakes from the USA, bearded dragons from Australia or leopard geckos from Pakistan. Such species are considered to be potential IAS and so will be covered by any legislation introduced by the EU. If this legislation is fair and appropriate then it should be supported, but if it is constructed badly then it could lead to controls on species that are not proven to be harmful and which are kept in huge numbers. This could directly affect your right to pursue your currently legal hobby of reptile keeping.

But some species may cause harm, so these should surely be controlled?
Absolutely! There are some species that have the potential to cause harm and so are true IAS. These should be scientifically assessed in a proper way and controlled in an appropriate way which protects the environment whilst not affecting species that are not proved to be harmful. Responsible keepers must support balanced and appropriate legislation while resisting inappropriate laws.

How do I make my views known?
The public consultation is being carried out on-line and can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/invasive_aliens.htm (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/invasive_aliens.htm). You should go to the website and fill out the online survey to make your views known. You should also let other keepers know, both in the UK and particularly anyone you know in other European countries, so that they can make their views known. The FBH have an official position on the most appropriate answers, which are outlined below. You should, however, answer the questions in the manner that you personally feel is most appropriate.

This is a long detailed document but its importance cannot be over emphasised. Please take the time to read it and to register your opinions on the European commission website;

Yours sincerely,

Chris Newman
Chairman – Federation of British Herpetologists

[Stefan-A]

But some species may cause harm, so these should surely be controlled?
Absolutely! There are some species that have the potential to cause harm and so are true IAS. These should be scientifically assessed in a proper way and controlled in an appropriate way which protects the environment whilst not affecting species that are not proved to be harmful.
As much as I want to agree with that, there is something I want to point out, with this example:
Ahola, M., Nordström M., Banks, P.B. & Laanetu, N. (2006). Alien mink predation induces prolonged declines in archipelago amphibians. Proc. R. Soc. B 273, 1261-1265.

That's just one species that's been assessed and found to be harmful, in one area. At a point, where there is virtually no hope of containing it or otherwise prevent it from causing harm. The population is already well established in most of Europe. A good century after they became an invasive species. It's not the first study to show that minks are a harmful invasive species, but it might as well have been. How long did it take before we realized rabbits, foxes and cane toads were invasive species in Australia? Stoats in New Zealand? Starlings in North America?

Proving that something is harmful the way we're forced to do it, can almost exclusively be done once it's already too late to do anything about it. If anything meaningful is to be done, it needs to be done in advance, based on predictors like climate (and I don't just mean temperatures like they seemed to have done with Burmese pythons in the US) and availability of suitable habitats. It should only be necessary to demonstrate that a species has a reasonable chance of establishing a wild population.

[Didymus20X6]

First, get us Will Smith. He's proven himself more than capable of dealing with just about any kind of invading alien species, from the smelly squid kind from ID4 to the giant roach kind in MIB.

4342
"And I said to the squiddy, 'Yo, Homes! Smell you later!'"

For backup, we need Sigourney Weaver. She's had plenty of experience dealing with them as well.

4343
Also played a blonde in Galaxy Quest.

And last but not least, Arnold.

4344
"It's not a tuma!"

These three should be plenty sufficient for repelling any invading alien species. But if not, we can always enlist Patrick Stewart and Bill Shatner.

[chris-uk]

I think it's important that we're aware of this, and I will probably fill in some feedback on the consultation. However, the response questionnaire is so closed that it doesn't allow me to answer in a way that covers the concerns that we'd have as reptile keepers.
Second thing is that I don't think the legislation will see the light of day in the current climate. A species that would cause problems in southern European countries probably wouldn't be an issue in the UK. So European legislation would by necessity be to vague to be useful.

[gregmonsta]

Public consultation 2012 on Invasive Alien Species
The EU now are having a consultation on the proposed strategy which if badly constructed can lead to the MASS eradication of species and plants, this not only includes Bearded Dragons, Corn snakes etc, but any animals within the EU including Gerbils, hamsters, Hedgehogs, Parrots, plants AND any animals or plants that are not native within the EU.
Below is the basics of what they are proposing
Prevent the introduction of new invasive species: 91.4 % agreed
Establish an early warning and rapid response system: 89.5 % agreed
Control and/or eradicate invasive species that are already settled in the EU: 80.7 % agreed

This is NO JOKE, however much of a crackpot idea it sounds, IT IS FOR REAL and requires everyone to fill out the consultation paper below
Online public consultation 2012 on Invasive Alien Species (http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=Invasiveupdated)

Please fill out and get as many people to do the same as soon as possible

[infernalis]

Yes, this is a serious issue.

In Australia there is an invasive toad species that is toxic when ingested by reptiles.

Once the toads show up, many snakes and lizards fall victim because they don't know enough to not eat the toads.

Entire locality Monitor populations have been wiped out, just from consuming an invasive toad.

This is only one example of many.....