ads for livestock, etc, etc

[Pierre le Roux]

I appologise if my reply came accorss as a personal attack, Doug. I  
know from previous postings by you that you try and take a very 
level-headed approach.

>Pierre Le Roux wrote:

>>Why should it be perfectly legal to keep silkworms, buy a packet of
>>flower seeds at the local corner shop, plant a bed of Petunias, farm
>>with corn,rice,wheat, rapeseed, Citrus,  or soybeans  or whatever,
>>but not to indulge in (like rearing Saturnids)other hobbies? Is it
>>just because time has not proven it to be a safe pass-time,
Doug replied:
<snip>. In other cases, we have enough evidence, from the
>history of the plants/animals in question, to know that (for example)
>petunias, while exotic, are not going to become pests. We know next to
>NOTHING about, what, 99.999% of the remaining exotic plants and
>animals that no one has yet attempted to introduce?
Exactly: if we do not introduce them first, there is no way to know 
in advance. What I would appreciate, but is not feasible in practice 
- due to the various reasons pointed out in a previous thread, is for 
Government to interfere with low-risk activities, amognst which I 
regard raising 20-50 eggs of a Saturnid. Very few survive, due to the 
unlikely chance of finding as suiteable foodsource. On the other 
hand, I personally have found severel excellent hostplantss for several 
species not listed as such, and not experimented on by Government ( 
who don't have the man-power, etc.) So I feel myself in a better 
position to judge the potential hasard that the authorities. And, as 
each little larva is acounted for every day as they need to be 
meticulously cared for, no other scientist necessarily pays more 
attention to detail than the average hobbyist. THIS IS NOT 
UNDERSTOOD, and therefore the practise is condemn.

Does it then make sense that I CHARGE, as well as correspond with 
clients so that: a) BECAUSE they can not get it for free, more 
attention is lavished on the larvae, as they are not easily replaced, 
and b) They exchange ideas, and intentions with me before we start 
swapping or buying stuff that I feel has potential to wipe out their 
indigenous forrests ( Like for instance our indigenous I. cytherea 
that has become a nuisance in our  local (exotic) Pine plantations ;-)

A step in the right direction, would be the ISO 14000 satndard (?) 
that requires land -owners to set aside and actively "protect" around 
30% of they land. I for one will try and use about 70 hectares of our 
150 hectare farm, as a "nature heritage" site, removing invading 
aliens like Lantana camara, Solanum mauritanium, Aristolochia ssp, 
Saligna, Pinus and several other invading species introduce by 
previous generations. Many were garden ornamentals, and several more 
species planted for commercial gain. Only now, after the horse (or
is it the gardenplants :-) has bolted, are we slamming the gate shut 
on anyone that we feel might be irresponsible - I for one don't like 
to be judged by the idiots sitting in the seats that entitle them to 
judge me and isue or refuse permits. The don't have the time, nor 
care to spend time establishing potential risk. Why then not make it 
a sensible approach and have the local Lep Soc advise, investigate
and regulate their own activities? If one is held accountable for 
your actions, but allowed to take your action, it would be possible 
to do it without hiding from officials, and knowledge can be 
exchanged freely.

I, by the way, agree that you should first of all be able to admit 
that you import and breed foreign species, and be registered as a 
rearer of exotics, AND be held accountable should your actions lead 
to an escape that requires mopping up.

By the way, thanks for responding!
Pierre le Roux Tel&Fax:+(27)-15-583-0084
P.O. Box 8     ( Cellphone+27-82-9234-975)
0929 Levubu
South Africa
23 05'S 30 15'E, 680m above mean sealevel.