If there were new CITES species quotas?

[Motherlode Chameleon]

"Conservation through commercialization"

No more along the lines of conservation through accomplishment (new National Parks/Preserves and managing collecting compare to the pre 1995 ban collecting techniques) and commercialization through privilege of justification through accomplished conservation goals (conserved habitat, proven of capable of sustainable collecting techniques and not being listed as an endangered species).

I however even though this could happen I would much prefer to watch these quotas made during a time when Madagascar is politically stable not during a period of instability. Along with during a time when more preserves being made and not encroachment problems on existing parks and preserves. This in my eye the privileged currently has not been totally justified. There are a couple of species that have always had a decent fecundity rate and can live in degraded habitats to the best of my knowledge that I figured should have made the original 1995 Madagascar Chameleon Quotas list that may end up making the list next year.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

This was posted 9/20/2013 by Chameleons Canada

I want to clarify this is not a sales pitch, but a very interesting fact. As many of you know I am a direct importer from Madagascar, as I am preparing my next shipment, I got an email from one of my suppliers mentioning a small quota of these species will be issued, see below; I was quite surprised:

Calumma boettgeri
calumma brevicorne
Calumma crypticum
calumma gastrotaenia
calumma guillaumeti
calumma malthe
calumma marojezense
calumma nasutum
calumma oshaughnessyi
calumma parsonii
Furcifer antimena
Furcifer bifidus
Furcifer petteri
Furcifer willsii

I don't think I'll bring any of the above, these are rare and I don't know that many fellows in Canada that may even know what these are. Anyhow I just thought this was something interesting to share with you.

Edgar T.
__________________

If these do become quotas species this is there IUCN Red List ranking on a conservation scale.

The Calumma
Calumma boettgeri- Least Concern
Calumma brevicorne- Least Concern
Calumma crypticum- Least Concern
Calumma gastrotaenia- Least Concern
Calumma guillaumeti- Least Concern
Calumma malthe- Least Concern
Calumma marojezense- Near Threatened (second lowest ranking)
Calumma nasutum- Least Concern
Calumma oshaughnessyi- Vulnerable
Calumma parsonii- Near Threatened

The Furcifer
Furcifer antimena- Vulnerable
Furcifer bifudus- Least Concern
Furcifer petteri- Vulnerable
Furcifer willsii- Least Concern
Furcifer rhinoceratus- Vulnerable

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I am wondering who provided the studies to justify the new CITES quotas for Madagascar 2014. As well if the Calumma parsonii are exported out of Madagascar I am crossing my fingers that they are farm bred or ranched animals not wild caught individuals.

 

[Kent67]

These quotas are only going to be for wc. Perhaps additional quotas for ranches specimens could be approved but I seriously doubt Madagascar has the infrastructure to inspect "farms" so they'd likely just be increasing the number of wc getting export permits.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

These quotas are only going to be for wc. Perhaps additional quotas for ranches specimens could be approved but I seriously doubt Madagascar has the infrastructure to inspect "farms" so they'd likely just be increasing the number of wc getting export permits.

I'm not the biggest fan of adult wild caught adult Parsonii, maybe sub adults or juveniles. There is no better time than the present to start inspecting farms as there are many reptile farms on that island.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Ideally with more conservation some of these species listed as Vulnerable can be delisted to a lower listing and remove and doubts about importing these specimens. I'm crossing my fingers that this time around and as conservation continues these exporting practices prove to be sustainable. As the ban of 1995 was absolutely necessary to prevent the demise of many chameleon species due to non proper collecting techniques and unmanaged exports of Madagascar chameleons.

 

[Sargentstickytounge]

I wish there was a more consistent variety of CBB chamelons that way no one would want or care to bring In many wc individuals and we could let wild populations stay untouched

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I wish there was a more consistent variety of CBB chamelons that way no one would want or care to bring In many wc individuals and we could let wild populations stay untouched

That is some what the gist of the idea.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

There are many thing that could be done to make these new quotas a worthy contemporary quota system. However lets asses how these new quotas go first next year then asses them and say what we think.

I'm for all the population studies being done before species being added to the new chameleon quota list. However it seems to be unclear with some of these species if these studies have been done even though these species may be species listed as IUCN Red List species of Least Concern.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

There are many extremely popular chameleon species that are being kept as specimens for the hobby that are actually listed as Endangered species by the IUCN Red List. These including Calumma globifer, Furcifer balteatus, Furcifer minor and Rhampholeon spinosus, all are listed as Endangered species by the IUCN Red List. These species require restorations and delisting before they should legally be seen in the chameleon hobby or at least here in the USA that highly prizes Endangered Species. One good thing about seeing these species in collections from countries that never recognized the CITES 1995 Madagascar Chameleon ban such as Europe is that many of these species have been proven as capable of thriving and reproducing in captivity. Meaning they are species that are absolutely fit and worthy of being in collections if their populations are restored in their natural habitat and the threat of their species not existing is gone.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I am of the opinion that if new quotas are made and if there are wild caught quotas made (especially from Madagascar) species listed as being listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List should not have wild caught quotas. They are in a transition from being an Endangered species to a less threatened species which is an important and critical time and harvesting wild caught specimens for the hobby would be counter productive to the conservation of this species during a sensitive period. However I think species with a IUCN Red List listing of Vulnerable should be considered from farmed and ranched chameleons species quotas for export. Such as Madagascar species Calumma oshaughnessyi and Furcifer antimena.

 

[leedragon]

I am of the opinion that if new quotas are made and if there are wild caught quotas made (especially from Madagascar) species listed as being listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List should not have wild caught quotas. They are in a transition from being an Endangered species to a less threatened species which is an important and critical time and harvesting wild caught specimens for the hobby would be counter productive to the conservation of this species during a sensitive period. However I think species with a IUCN Red List listing of Vulnerable should be considered from farmed and ranched chameleons species quotas for export. Such as Madagascar species Calumma oshaughnessyi and Furcifer antimena.

I totally agree with you, but there is some chameleon farms in madagascar as well, isn't it?

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I totally agree with you, but there is some chameleon farms in madagascar as well, isn't it?

Leedragon

Of course there are reptile/chameleon farms in Madagascar (La Mandraka, Olaf Pranks and others). However for the most part with just 5 wild caught quotas chameleon species (to the best of my knowledge) they are only being used as a holding areas for wild caught chameleons before they are exported to other countries. If these new 15 quota chameleon species are added to the quotas list. There is the legitimate prospect that CITES may allow farmed or ranched specimens (especially of high profile species such as Calumma parsonii parsonii or possibly species listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List) for exports especially if wild caught quota numbers are low. This making these reptile farms not just a holding areas and instead making them legitimate reptile farms again and for export. This then would in theory start another aspect of sustainable business in Madagascar that would not just totally rely on wild caught chameleons.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Everyone

I am for new Madagascar quotas of the less threatened species with an IUCN listing of Near Threatened or Least Concern. New quotas are long over due and should be done. It is similar to cleaning up a dirty dorm room or room for that mater it just should be done. Especially with academic consideration as seen with no species from the genus Calumma on the CITES Madagascar chameleons species export list for study abroad. That is an error that I think should be corrected. There are plenty of new species from the Calumma genus listed as possible new quota species that fit this protocol. I have got my digits crossed that some make it as new quota species.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

The new quotas are official. There are going to be new Brookesia, Calumma and Fucifer species this year. Here are what the new quotas are going to be as posted by CITES.

For Calumma

Calumma boettgeri 500
Calumma brevicorne 500
Calumma gastrotaenia 500
Calumma guillaumeti 500
Calumma malthe 500
Calumma marojezense 300
Calumma nasutum 1000
Calumma oshaughnessyi 250
Calumma parsonii 300

For Furcifer

Furcifer antimena 150
Furcifer bifidus 500
Furcifer petteri 100
Furcifer willsii 500

This was posted on the CITES page meaning these quotas are legitimate. Furcifer rhinoceratus was left off the CITES list and was on the list that was provided from Canada Chameleons. As well I was surprised that there was such a high quotas for rare chameleon Furcifer bifidus. Calumma crypticum has got a prep next to its listing meaning I think preparations may still be being made for this species to make the list. This has the prospects to be great news if this helps Madagascar conservation and world awareness. Plus these quotas are conservative quotas which is a big step up from the importation practices from before the ban of 1995.

Here's a link
http://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/ExportQuotas2014.pdf

Cheers and Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[laurie]

Jeremy is this a complete list for just Maddy or all the rest like camroon? thanks, for once again keeping us informed.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Jeremy is this a complete list for just Maddy or all the rest like camroon? thanks, for once again keeping us informed.

Laurie

You can scroll up the list on the link I provided and check Cameroon. The lists I think are not complete yet.

Kind Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[frankpayne32]

This is extremely exciting. Thanks Jeremy for the thread and posting this information.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

For people buying chameleons from Madagascar, Cameroon, Tanzania or anywhere else. I highly recommend making a contribution to conservation efforts in the area where your chameleons come from even if it is once a year or for the holidays. Instead of buying that extra Panther Chameleon you have not got room for on the holidays send some of that money to a conservation program to make certain those chameleons you prize are going to have a home in the wild for many generation in the future. Those contribution can go along ways in these developing nations.

Kind Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Kent67]

Wowwwww!!!! Twenty years since this stuff could be legally imported!! Looks like crypticum is going to have a quota, too! WOW! About friggin' time!