USARK FL

USARK FL will be releasing a 3 part documentary on the MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife Holy Thursday Massacre this week on Youtube. Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/8uTChlo7YW0?si=C3nvli-_061xbe0c

On April 6, 2023, a legal pet Boa owned by Bill McAdam, was misidentified as a Prohibited species and killed with a penetrating bolt gun. A subsequent necropsy revealed the snake was gravid and carrying 32 offspring.

Over 30 pythons (both Reticulated and Burmese pythons) belonging to Chris Coffee were also killed. These had been legally possessed prior to FWC’s 2021 rule changes that reclassified certain species as “Prohibited.” Coffee had attempted to comply with the new regulations.

We are not publicizing this issue simply to open old wounds or incite hatred against FWC. We are doing this as a reminder that when onerous policies are passed, resulting in overreaching enforcement actions, it affects real people and real living things. In this case, the mental and emotional trauma inflicted upon Bill McAdam, Chris Coffee, and their families is incalculable. This process has deprived Coffee of his life savings, his valuable collection of animals, and has even resulted in his family becoming homeless.

Policies are implemented by people, in this case the people who work at FWC. Even the most honest and competent people make mistakes. We know that there are good people at FWC with good intentions. However, when policies are written in such a way that they do not anticipate the worst possible outcomes, especially when the input of the people that they affect is not considered in the process, the results can be disastrous.

In this case, FWC's rules have not succeeded in reducing wild populations of invasive species. In fact, it is likely that the populations of pythons, iguanas, and tegus have only increased since the rules were passed. However, these rules have upended the lives of people and caused untold heartache. This has resulted in negative media attention and political backlash for FWC. If it is genuinely interested in creating policies that work, FWC must consider reptile keepers as partners, not as adversaries.

As for Chris Coffee and Bill McAdam, FWC should be absolutely eager to take care of them, whatever that takes.

Seri is a mainstay in the reptile community, and many see her and her Cardigan Welsh corgi named Maxx at NARBC Tinley Park. Seri continually supports others, and now she can use a return of some of that good faith she exudes. If "what goes around comes around," Seri will witness an outpouring of support. Donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-seris-recovery-after-the-fire.

"As some of you know, Seri of the Grooming Gallery/Gallery Gekko/Creature Care Cards had a catastrophe last night . Seri's grooming shop suffered a fire. Not only is she going to be inoperable due to the damage in her shop, she lost some of her pet reptiles, and everyone's favorite shop pet, Toba the African Grey, whom she had owned for nearly 30 years. This, however, doesn’t just affect her shop; it is also her home. The shop and her home are connected, and she currently is staying with her family while being displaced. This is coming at the worst time, not that there is ever a good time for this tragedy. She is scheduled to have knee surgery in a few weeks. We all know it can be a struggle financially when you're off from work for a surgery, it's even harder when you're a small business owner as you don't get FLMA as a backup plan, no sick time to fall back on. Lost time at work is just...lost... (more at link).

We know asking for help on your own is hard, and this is where us as family/friends, as a community of animal lovers, as generous souls who simply want to help someone for the sake of help can help. This GoFundMe is to help try and offset some of these unexpected accruing expenses that are about to come up. Any contribution small or large will help, and be appreciated." - Melissa Walker

Scientific American reports:
"When merrymakers gather in the streets of Dublin for Ireland’s annual National St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one green-clad group won’t be there: snakes.

Saint Patrick, a fifth-century missionary from Roman Britain, is primarily known for spreading Christianity within Ireland. His other claim to folklore fame, however, comes from his supposed role as an exterminator—he’s said to have chased all the snakes out of Ireland with an ornate shepherd’s crook known as a crozier.

A haven for those with ophidiophobia, Ireland has zero native snake species. This snake-free status predates Saint Patrick, though. In fact, the fossil record suggests the island has never hosted wild serpents—or many other reptiles, for that matter.

“We really only have two reptiles,” says Collie Ennis, science officer at the Herpetological Society of Ireland and biodiversity officer at Trinity College Dublin. “We’ve got one native land reptile—that’s the common lizard.... We also have an introduced reptile in Ireland called the slow worm, and it’s a type of legless lizard.”

Most scientists agree that the most recent ice age, which ended approximately 11,700 years ago, is the reason for Ireland’s lack of reptile diversity. By the time glacial ice from the era receded and temperatures warmed enough for the ectotherms, Ireland had broken off from the European continent and was inaccessible to roaming reptiles.

Even today, Ireland is simply too cold for most snakes. Because reptiles cannot warm themselves internally like mammals can, they tend to prefer warm temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit (21 and 38 degrees Celsius) and can be rendered immobile or perish from lengthy cold spells. Ireland’s native common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) and the introduced slow worm (Anguis fragilis) are both much hardier and able to hibernate through the winter."

Read full article here:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-real-reason-ireland-has-no-snakes/

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