05-16-2015, 02:36 PM
Guys I'm copying and pasting this from posts I have made here in England,please forgive me,I've had a horrendous week and don't really feel like writing out the sadness over and over. I would ask guys that once again the EU will be the butt of much angst by my american frogger mates ,please don't think bad of all of us. Some of us really do care so lets not do all the bashing this time. But it is very important I think that everyone knows, what has happened. I am very aware that frogs have moved from EU even UK to America,so I hope to prevent that on this occassion.
Oh one last little thing from me just me,lads your example with the auctions, your generosity, the little notes from folks here of support to me via PM, the dudes helping with sponsorship Thank you you folks rock !!
As many of you know I am a staunch supporter of sustainable frogs for our hobby. I have and am trying to do what I can in my own little way to help support the work of one project in particular. This project is called Tesoros de Colombia. Please read the other threads here on this very forum if you have not yet become aware of this incredible story. Oh hell, well I'm at it sign the petition and give a bit to help too.
I've been talking to the guy that runs this for a good while now. He is called Ivan Lozano. Recently Tesoros have had some restrictions put on export,hence the petition,and me asking for help again. So i'm back trying to help Ivan and talking with him oft of late. In a conversation in the last few days he mentioned that he is devastated that someone has recently smuggled a lot of Lehmanni out of Colombia,and they are bound for the EU. It seems that a whole population of Red lehmanni have been pretty much systematically wiped out. Lehmanni are just hanging on by a thread guys,the situation with them is very very serious. The pet trade is implicated in this fiasco,over collecting for export cited as a primary source of population decline even above habitat destruction.
It is utterly heartbreaking to me that this hobby I adore so much can plausibly part of causing an animal's extinction in the wild especially one that we are meant to adore and be fascinated by. That this should happen at a time when a man has tried for 9 years, I think now, to provide a legal and sustainable means to provide us with these very frogs is unbelievable. It is an action taken for pure selfish and monetary gains.
Obviously,Ivan is incredibly sad,authorities are being made aware and I would urge anyone here to steer clear of these stolen animals and their potential offspring on a huge level!! This is a most grave situation,frankly I would love to see them returned to Colombia. But I think the damage is already done and I just hope beyond hope that a viable population still exists in the wild now.If ever you needed a rock solid reason to donate to Tesoros or to not buy a particularly stunning frog..... you now have it.
Part of Ivan's remit is not just to provide us with genuine legit colombian frogs,but also there is a rock solid genuine conservation side to his business. At this time he is working on the reintroduction of truncatus to an area where they once existed. The habitat restoration is I think complete,the next step the frogs. This primary experiment,will give him more knowledge for the future plan,This is to reinstate a whole population of lemanni, to the wild.
What the guy must be thinking at this time beggars belief, He's banging his head against this bloody wall (his government) the hobby support is well not great,(fair play to the yanks for trying) and some XXXXXX goes in to his country and steals a lot of a seriously endangered species for who,our hobby in europe
Guys I am seriously upset by this news I can't believe it has happened the timing is horrendous. It will also possibly mean Ivan, if he can stay fighting for his cause and get past this permit nonsense will not export the red morph to europe now. He doesn't want his legitamate frogs to be mixed into these and somehow get legalised I guess, and frankly if that is what he decides then I can't blame him. So some scum has concievably blocked this frog for all of us,But I guess that is for the best as obviously if any red lehmans show up in the reasonably near future even genuine CB it will be seriously evident where they have come from.
Once again please stay away from these frogs,we are close to Europe,part of it, we hear rumours and folks regularly go to EU to bring new frogs here,but we just can't be part of whole populations being wiped of the face of the earth and undermine the work done by Ivan and his Team into the bargain
Seriously gutted !!
Stu
Oh one last little thing from me just me,lads your example with the auctions, your generosity, the little notes from folks here of support to me via PM, the dudes helping with sponsorship Thank you you folks rock !!
As many of you know I am a staunch supporter of sustainable frogs for our hobby. I have and am trying to do what I can in my own little way to help support the work of one project in particular. This project is called Tesoros de Colombia. Please read the other threads here on this very forum if you have not yet become aware of this incredible story. Oh hell, well I'm at it sign the petition and give a bit to help too.
I've been talking to the guy that runs this for a good while now. He is called Ivan Lozano. Recently Tesoros have had some restrictions put on export,hence the petition,and me asking for help again. So i'm back trying to help Ivan and talking with him oft of late. In a conversation in the last few days he mentioned that he is devastated that someone has recently smuggled a lot of Lehmanni out of Colombia,and they are bound for the EU. It seems that a whole population of Red lehmanni have been pretty much systematically wiped out. Lehmanni are just hanging on by a thread guys,the situation with them is very very serious. The pet trade is implicated in this fiasco,over collecting for export cited as a primary source of population decline even above habitat destruction.
It is utterly heartbreaking to me that this hobby I adore so much can plausibly part of causing an animal's extinction in the wild especially one that we are meant to adore and be fascinated by. That this should happen at a time when a man has tried for 9 years, I think now, to provide a legal and sustainable means to provide us with these very frogs is unbelievable. It is an action taken for pure selfish and monetary gains.
Obviously,Ivan is incredibly sad,authorities are being made aware and I would urge anyone here to steer clear of these stolen animals and their potential offspring on a huge level!! This is a most grave situation,frankly I would love to see them returned to Colombia. But I think the damage is already done and I just hope beyond hope that a viable population still exists in the wild now.If ever you needed a rock solid reason to donate to Tesoros or to not buy a particularly stunning frog..... you now have it.
Part of Ivan's remit is not just to provide us with genuine legit colombian frogs,but also there is a rock solid genuine conservation side to his business. At this time he is working on the reintroduction of truncatus to an area where they once existed. The habitat restoration is I think complete,the next step the frogs. This primary experiment,will give him more knowledge for the future plan,This is to reinstate a whole population of lemanni, to the wild.
What the guy must be thinking at this time beggars belief, He's banging his head against this bloody wall (his government) the hobby support is well not great,(fair play to the yanks for trying) and some XXXXXX goes in to his country and steals a lot of a seriously endangered species for who,our hobby in europe
Guys I am seriously upset by this news I can't believe it has happened the timing is horrendous. It will also possibly mean Ivan, if he can stay fighting for his cause and get past this permit nonsense will not export the red morph to europe now. He doesn't want his legitamate frogs to be mixed into these and somehow get legalised I guess, and frankly if that is what he decides then I can't blame him. So some scum has concievably blocked this frog for all of us,But I guess that is for the best as obviously if any red lehmans show up in the reasonably near future even genuine CB it will be seriously evident where they have come from.
Once again please stay away from these frogs,we are close to Europe,part of it, we hear rumours and folks regularly go to EU to bring new frogs here,but we just can't be part of whole populations being wiped of the face of the earth and undermine the work done by Ivan and his Team into the bargain
Seriously gutted !!
Stu