Brazilian Amazon

[Douglas Yanega]

Anne Kilmer wrote (similar to some other folks earlier):

>	Collectors who want the adventure and know what they're doing 
>may hook up with a (local) university (which gets first pick of the 
>bugs, and keeps all the types); go out alone and have their bugs 
>certified by the university and released for export. And give the 
>university a nice chunk of money for this service. Or get paid by the 
>university, depending on their skill and expertise.

Actually, this is essentially what one needs to do to get a permit to
collect in Brazil (though no money changes hands, and it's not always so
simple, as I'm sure Jim can attest). You pretty much MUST have a "sponsor"
on the Brazilian side, and once you do, you apply for a limited permit,
agree to specimen deposition restrictions, and things can then work out to
everyone's satisfaction. This all goes through a Brazilian *research*
council, not through any agency of the government that would be involved in
enforcement or general non-scientific permitting. This is the system that
suits Brazil just fine, because it creates an effective ban on commercial
collecting (assuming that no one in Brazil would knowingly sponsor a
dealer) - and they simply don't have to deal with any amateurs who aren't
willing to accept restrictions. There *is* a problem with how those
restrictions are designed, however, which creates problems for ALL
entomological research in Brazil. If anything, they are *more*
accommodating to Lepidopterists - that is, a research permit requires you
to specify IN ADVANCE where, when, and what (and how many) you intend to
collect. You cannot get a permit to just collect ïnsects in general,
wherever you find them. This is because, as with laws in other countries,
they use the SAME laws to control research collecting of vertebrates and
*invertebrates* - which is, of course, absurd. It would be SO nice if
someone would figure out that this blanket approach is ridiculous, and pass
the word along to other countries.

Sigh,
Dr. Douglas Yanega
Depto. de Biologia Geral
Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas
Univ. Federal de Minas Gerais
Cx. P. 486
30.161-970 Belo Horizonte, MG, BRAZIL