Fwd: RE: MIAMI BLUE BUTTERFLY RESTORATION PROJECT

[John Grehan]

>  Mexico has been exploited for its
>Lepidoptera since before Godman & Salvin; the biggest collections of
>Mexican butteflies have ended up in the US museums.

I would be interested for an elaboration on this point about Mexico being 
"exploited" for its
Lepidoptera. Is the term "exploited' being used in reference to Mexico in a 
way that the
term would not be applicable to the US?

John Grehan



>Material taken by
>commercial collectors from overseas is rarely used in faunal or systematic
>studies.  Less than 1% of the types of endemic Mexican butterfly species
>are in Mexican collections.
>I am confident that if any of you
>approached the curators of a Mexican collection with a donation of Mexican
>specimens, they would not even ask if they were collected under the
>authority of a permit- they would just be happy to have the material.
>
>Best,
>
>Andy
>
>On Thu, 31 Jan 2002, Chris J. Durden wrote:
>
> >
> > >Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 11:30:38 -0600
> > >To: "Grkovich, Alex" <agrkovich at tmpeng.com>
> > >From: "Chris J. Durden" <drdn at mail.utexas.edu>
> > >Subject: RE: MIAMI BLUE BUTTERFLY RESTORATION PROJECT
> > >
> > >    Perhaps someone (like Andy Warren) who has done recent fieldwork in
> > > Mexico can fill us in on the current situation regarding what permits 
> are
> > > needed, how to get them, and if it is economically and politically
> > > possible to fulfill these requirements in a timely fashion.
> > >    I have yet to meet an American researcher (biological) who has all 
> the
> > > requirements fulfilled to the letter, as required by our USFWS
> > > enforcement officers in enforcing the Lacey Act of 1911, Revision of 
> 1981.
> > >    For my own part, since retirement, I have taken a break from
> > > collecting in Mexico. Ever since I was visited (fall of 1993) at home
> > > (where I keep no collection) by enforcement agents of USFWS and reminded
> > > of their powers of seizure, I have not collected in Mexico. Perhaps when
> > > I do resume collecting in that beautiful and fascinating country of warm
> > > friendly people, I may mail my specimens to researchers in countries
> > > other than the USA. Then I can visit my foreign friends to work on my
> > > specimens in their collections.
> > >    I think we suffer at present from too much of a regulatory mindset. I
> > > think we have "shot ourselves in the foot".
> > >................Chris Durden
> > >
> > >At 07:59 AM 1/31/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> > >>Chris, What is the situation in Mexico?
> > >>    Alex
> > >>
> > >> > -----Original Message-----
> > >> > From: Chris J. Durden [SMTP:drdn at mail.utexas.edu]
> > >> > Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2002 11:39 PM
> > >> > To:   agrkovich at tmpeng.com
> > >> > Subject:      RE: MIAMI BLUE BUTTERFLY RESTORATION PROJECT
> > >> >
> > >> > Alan,
> > >> >     I agree. Some states are worse than others, but none are yet 
> as bad as
> > >> >
> > >> > Mexico or Germany. The dead horse needs more beating until the smell
> > >> > prompts some action by reasonable people.
> > >> > ..................Chris
> > >> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>
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