ZebraPleco.com • The complete Hypancistrus zebra resource

I just read an article at the gym about the problems wild animals are facing - Audibon Society.

Here in the US the amount of money and manpower is ridiculously low and the penalties are a joke at the best.

There are constantly auctions and sales of animals which are protected and endangered going on and the wilderness is being raped for the sake of our pleasure and vanity.

The article focused mostly on wild cats and reptiles , stating how people buy then not knowing at all how to care for them and additionally pressuring not only the species which are being hunted for the pet trade but also the native species which end up getting contaminated and outcompeted when many of these animals are released into the wild.

The article made me really sad - I feel like I am part of the problem as someone keeping fish and I also look at all the people fueling the growing pet trade while being totally uneducated about the care for these living things.

I love animal planet and to see wildlife as it is - in the wild. Not sure exactly what I would propose here but maybe someone can help throw their hat into the ring.

THe amount of poorly cared for animals and abused pets is just sick - to then add exotics which have been pulled from nature is even worse.

As many people like to have animals in the home , and it will not be changed - perhaps we can help with education?

I know Robs site has been helpful in providing info to me. (the first site with the pics of eggs and fry) Now we have a site here with many welleducated people that posess a wealth of knowledge.

Though we may - scratch the we ( I know nothing) - know of info and have a good perspective of what is going on in the wilderness and perhaps ways of preserving it . There surley must be ways to change or at least educate people coming into the hobby?

I was just very saddened, reading about people buying up pet tigers, leopards and cheetahs to slaughter so they could make big money on the hides, teeth, claws, gallbladders, etc. Bears - well the same. Monkeys, birds, sugargliders, kangoroos, wallabies all being abused and malnourished.

HI INXS

I understand, and must admit tend to agree with what you are saying. I too have had guilt pangs about the idea of taking fish from a natural inhabitat and placing them in a large glass box where I play god!!!

In a kind of selfish way I have tried to rid myself f this feeling to an extent with my obsession to Zebra Plecos. I realise that in order to do what I do now, I have had to buy wild caught fish with the aim to breed them. This does not remove the guilt however, especially when I loose one, (Which I invariabley did when I first started, I still today put these losses down to bad import care).

I agree that education is the best way to try and combat many of these things, and I do think that our generation, (and now the one below us, seeing as I'm no longer classed as a lad) is making the right steps.

Everyone one othis forum, including yourself, in my mind has already helped, by bringing together a great wealth of knowledge, that appears to be helping. Everytime somebody else manages to breed these beautiful fish, theire chances in the wild increase.

Ok... I'm ranting now..... I'd better get some work done!!

What worries me more... it why you were at the gym instread of tending to your zebras!!!

Rob

What worries me more is that you are no longer classed as a lad?

I reached the ripe old age of 30 this year.........no operations were involved!!!

When reading articles or accounts of what is happening when greed meets nature it's always frustrating - but at least they do strike a nerve with it.

The only fish that was listed on the list of animals being threatened by the pet trade was the asian arrowana.

The list of diseases that are spread by animals illegaly brought in by pet trade was huge though ; AIDS, Hepetitis, Herpes, all kinds of bacterial , viral and parasitic stuff too. Additionally the animals get diseases from people and in the end when people no longer can or want to care for them they set them free to spread disease or outcompete the native fauna.

I think that trying to reach kids is a great way. They can be tought about the potential harm and they can also be taught to respect nature.

In addition teaching people in the countries about other ways to utilize the nature to benefit - like Costa Rica and a few others have found ways to make money on eco tourism.

Lastley finding some way to actually use money from pet sales to fund purchases of land where some of the endangered animals live.

OK - enough ranting for me for today.

NOW there's an idea...how much of the rio-xingu do you think we could buy!!!!!!

There are organizations buying up land to preserve all over - I'm sure WWF, Audibon, Sierra or any organizations like that could provide info.

It's impossible to save everything everywhere but if you concentrate on one little piece it's a step..

I think the big thing is not to purchase it but to maintain it , educate the local population about it and offer a way for them to make an income while preserving it.

Ecotourism is the only one I can think of. Rio Xingu provides habitat for a wealth of species - not just loricaridae . I am somwhat familiar with some cichlids living there also. With several different hobby groups/organizations working together it may be possible to provide funding for something. I'm sure the Brazilian government along with the local government would be happy to have money coming in.
With several organizations working together there would surley be interest for a few trips to see the area - I know I would love to go and have read that a number of people would also.

That would provide a reason for the local population to preserve and maintain that little part.

Back home the captive breeding is probably the best way - I'm still desperatly trying to join those ranks