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Post by beetlehorn on Jul 8, 2018 18:18:01 GMT -8
Some ten years ago there was a rather famous butterfly trader that got nailed by US Fish & Wildlife. I think most collectors know about Yoshi Kojima, and the trouble he got into. I was browsing youtube and ran across this video. I thought I would share it here for those of you interested in the events that took place at the time.
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Post by bichos on Jul 8, 2018 19:56:48 GMT -8
Ok people, its ok to wipe them out but its not ok to keep a few in the process of wiping them out.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2018 0:20:22 GMT -8
Try working as hard to stop habitat destruction, oh no you can't because you make hundreds of millions of dollars from that. Show me one case with FACTS where sensible collecting has had any harm whatsoever on insect populations and I will stop today.
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Post by exoticimports on Jul 9, 2018 5:49:29 GMT -8
I was at that show. And somehow everybody knew USFWS was after Yoshi. Yoshi knew and stayed away in the morning and word was he wasn’t coming but then he did anyway. And dealers knew who the USFWS agent was despite the fake name and story. So kinda perplexing.
But yeah it’s sad the time and money that goes into treating the symptoms not the disease. And the politicking for bravado is a commentary on what’s become of our government employees.
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Post by Paul K on Jul 9, 2018 8:13:23 GMT -8
I was at that show. And somehow everybody knew USFWS was after Yoshi. Yoshi knew and stayed away in the morning and word was he wasn’t coming but then he did anyway. And dealers knew who the USFWS agent was despite the fake name and story. So kinda perplexing. But yeah it’s sad the time and money that goes into treating the symptoms not the disease. And the politicking for bravado is a commentary on what’s become of our government employees. If Yoshi knew so, he is an idiot or the whole story was staged for uneducated public to cover up the mess that governments are doing with oil palm plantations and other habitat distraction. Blame all on collectors and dealers. I rather think of the second option to be a proper. |
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Post by exoticimports on Jul 9, 2018 10:54:24 GMT -8
Certainly the interview was staged.
Note she asks specifically about butterfly smuggling, and Newcomer responds that it's the second largest financial crime after drugs. He, I'm sure was talking about wildlife smuggling and in a global context, so as typical did not answer the question at hand but rather used it to promote ignorance and his own agenda.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2018 11:50:33 GMT -8
I've also read the story of this sad episode, the prices he was quoting were a joke and it's clear to anyone with even the most basic knowledge of the insect trade that he had no idea what he was talking about, similar to many of the "experts" today who condemn collecting, they have no clue, $700 for chikae, on what planet? Alexandrae $10,000 a pair!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sensationalism for the ignorant masses to gorge on.
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Post by beetlehorn on Jul 9, 2018 18:03:51 GMT -8
In most places of the world, butterfly or insect collecting is looked upon as an inappropriate activity for many reasons. The news reporter in the video said something that discredited the whole viewpoint of their conservation ideology. Saying that these butterflies are being taken from "shrinking habitat" may or may not be true, but as we all know the loss of habitat is the real culprit. It's not the guy with a net, but the guy with the chainsaw, and bulldozer who is the responsible "criminal" regarding dwindling numbers of all wildlife, not just butterflies. Regulating wildlife trade in the attempt to control population numbers might work in ivory smuggling by seizing incoming shipments for example, but insects are an entirely different matter in that regard, because in most cases insect numbers are hardly affected by collecting alone. I follow CITES laws because I don't want to risk any trouble with authorities, but at the same time I have to wonder what good these kind of regulations actually do in the real world.
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Post by joee30 on Jul 10, 2018 18:09:10 GMT -8
This is crazy as I remember all of this going down, and it was Yoshi's own fault for having things he shouldn't have, and some some other "dirty" reasons. lol It does piss me off that the media, and the general public have this negative view towards insect/butterfly collectors, while the world governments destroy their habitats in order to make money. Sad.
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Post by dynastinae on Jul 31, 2018 7:07:15 GMT -8
It is very true that the chainsaws and bulldozers are to blame. But are the chainsaw and bulldozer operators cutting down trees just for fun? No, they are paid to do so. It's their job. So who is paying them??? People like you and me.
Why are there palm plantations all over the world? Because you and I use soap, shampoo, detergents, vegetable oil, chocolates, candies; list goes on forever.
WE are responsible for extinctions, not the poachers, not the chainsaws, not the bulldozers. WE are pointing our fingers at them because WE are in denial. WE don't want to admit that WE are the masterminds behind deforestation.
WE blame "third world" countries for deforestation. But who is buying the paper and the lumber?? WE are.
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Post by Paul K on Jul 31, 2018 12:30:40 GMT -8
I will not agree with this statement totally.
Most of us don’t have the choice or influence what has to be used/consumed in the daily life. Corporations and man in power are making the choice and that choice is only directed towards greed.
There are alternatives but those would not bring so much profit to the packets of wealthy, greedy individuals and governments around the world.
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Post by LEPMAN on Aug 5, 2018 6:28:26 GMT -8
Consumers DO indeed drive the industry, but I must agree with Paul that sometimes you may not have (in an area or country) an alternative to products containing things such as palm oil. In some countries, products are chosen for you, by producers. In both Denmark and Sweden we have a huge selection of ecologically produced alternatives, all readily available in most supermarkets, big and small. This is by popular demand and is a growing industry. Its far from optimal yet, but things are on the right track. Our family have chosen to never buy products from specific companies (for instance Nestle) and as much as we can, that certain east Asian country that export a lot of trash all over the world. Rather than that crappy Nescafe, we buy a ecologically produced and fair trade coffee, originating from Peru and PNG - countries I certainly would like to support for doing the right thing. Chocolate bars with palm oil? Never ever do we buy them! Marabou Chocolate brand is produced without palm oil (at least in Scandinavia), and it just taste better anyways. Peanut butter without palm oil? Yes, of course! When you make your food, roast it in a oven (powered by renewable energy, obviously), rather than cooking in unhealthy oil that require much land area to be produced. If people would just bother to inform themselves about what they shove in their faces and turn their back on those commercial products, we all can make a real change! So yes, WE drive the consumption, but if we all would pay some attention to what we consume and where it come from, we CAN make a real impact. Jan Well said! |
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