releasing baby ribbons far from original habitat?

[gellfex]

Thanks Stefan.

Personally, I would drive back to where they originated from.

Really? Easy for you to say. A 4 hr round trip at today's gas prices rather than release snakes in their indigenous area?

There's only 7 of them. Maybe I'll find them homes anyway. Perhaps we should be keeping a couple of babies and releasing the mother to end up with tamer pets.

[Stefan-A]

Really? Easy for you to say. A 4 hr round trip at today's gas prices rather than release snakes in their indigenous area?

That is the right thing to do, yes.

[gellfex]

That is the right thing to do, yes.

It appears the point is moot since I seem to have takers for the snakes. But I am a naturally argumentative person

I don't see a real compelling case made by either of you for "place of capture" release rather than another part of the established range of the species. Yes, the snakes might not make it if the local habitat isn't "right" for some reason. But, assuming (with no evidence either way) that there isn't a local population of ribbons, re-introduction of a once native species is done all the time with the assumption of high mortality among the animals. I think of Falcons, Condors and Wolves as obvious examples of major reintroduction programs.

There's a webcam celebrity Peregrine Falcon pair nesting on an office tower a mile from me that lost 3 of 4 babies this year. Being wild isn't easy.

[Hornets23]

Whether or not the cases are compelling, YOU took them from the wild. Even if it is inconvenient for you, the responsible thing is to do what is in the snakes very best interest. Since you took them, you owe them that.

[gellfex]

Whether or not the cases are compelling, YOU took them from the wild. Even if it is inconvenient for you, the responsible thing is to do what is in the snakes very best interest. Since you took them, you owe them that.

You do make a point.

Just to be clear, I didn't intend to take "them", just 1! Nobody here would have snakes but for some wild collecting. It's the collecting for sale that endangers species.

[Stefan-A]

You do make a point.

Just to be clear, I didn't intend to take "them", just 1!

And nobody is blaming you for it, mistakes happen. But it is the wrong time of year to be collecting snakes.

Nobody here would have snakes but for some wild collecting.

Some wild collecting, not every time somebody wants a new snake.

It's the collecting for sale that endangers species.

Both endanger species. Even though collecting for sale causes significant losses because of how the snakes are treated, collecting for your own needs is not that much better and certainly worse than buying a captive bred animal.

[jitami]

Whether or not the cases are compelling, YOU took them from the wild. Even if it is inconvenient for you, the responsible thing is to do what is in the snakes very best interest. Since you took them, you owe them that.

This is my opinion as well... whether you meant to take a gravid mom or not, it's still your doing. I'm not trying to be harsh here. I understand things happen and you just have to do the best you can to rectify the situation you created. Without any ecological education I'm going to throw a couple of ideas out at Stefan and others with more experience and education than I and let's see if a compromise can be found... and I know this may be a moot point in this particular case, but I would still like to know the answers...

1)Let's say gellfex can go out and find a viable ribbon population in some of the ponds closer to home. Would it then be ok to release the babies in this location?

2)If no ribbon population can be found locally, would it be ok to feed & house these babies over the winter and then drive them back to the original capture sight next spring/summer and then release them? I have a feeling I know the answer to this one, but...

3)Other than rehoming the babies to live captive lives, are there any other compromises that could work?

Again, just curious... I would have a weekend drive planned to release them. Make a day of it, teach the kids an invaluable lesson, etc.

Good luck, whatever you decide gellfex..

[Stefan-A]

1)Let's say gellfex can go out and find a viable ribbon population in some of the ponds closer to home. Would it then be ok to release the babies in this location?

In my (professional?) opinion, it's best not to mix populations in the wild.

2)If no ribbon population can be found locally, would it be ok to feed & house these babies over the winter and then drive them back to the original capture sight next spring/summer and then release them? I have a feeling I know the answer to this one, but...

I have a feeling that you do.

3)Other than rehoming the babies to live captive lives, are there any other compromises that could work?

I'll keep an open mind, in case somebody comes up with a good idea.

[jitami]

In my (professional?) opinion, it's best not to mix populations in the wild.

Even babies? Due to possible illness/parasites/etc? Or for another reason?

[Stefan-A]

Even babies? Due to possible illness/parasites/etc? Or for another reason?

Illness and the possible long-term impact on genetic diversity. There are certain problems with releasing fish from other rivers or lakes, for example. Either they get outcompeted by the local population, they outcompete it and thus eliminate a unique set of genes (which leads to a reduced biodiversity), or the sudden influx of more animals increase the pressure on the food source and cause the whole population to collapse, although the last one is more of a problem with bigger release projects.

Sorry, I'm too tired to go into details. It's just a bad idea to release animals in the wrong area. If you don't have any idea what the consequences will be, it's best not to do it.