commercial collecting

[monarchsforever]

I think I can speak for the 9 individuals who make up 95% of the commercial butterfly sales in the US, when I say, no endangered species are sold with out proper permits and documentation. All countries require a CITES and export permit as well as a US F&W #3-177. All of us have had US F&W inspectors come to shops and look at everything. I've had as many as five agents at a time for the better part of the day come and open boxes and check paper work. No doubt some unscrupulous collectors will be out there, but the system works, the Feds are competent, and the industry is sincerely honest in it's attempt to keep a sustainable resource sustainable. In the last two years over 12 million people have gone through the exhibits I supply with butterflies (Field Museum of Chicago-LA Field Museum- Zoo New England ect.) many of them purchased mounted butterflies in the gift stores or from my company, on eBay under the trade name MONARCHSFOREVER. These people carried away with them a better understanding and compassion for all wildlife not just Leps. My point being you can blast over collecting all you want but leave the commercial collectors out of it, they do not deal in illegal bugs, guarantied. If you know of someone who is dealing in illegal insects or wildlife of any kind it is your duty to report them.Thank you David Bohlken owner of Monarchs Forever
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