Trading of red-eared turtles illegal in SA

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Johannesburg – The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on Thursday warned South Africans not to buy or sell red-eared slider turtles which are currently being peddled illegally on the internet.
“The red-eared slider is one of the American turtle species (Trachemys species) currently listed as Category 1b in terms of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act Alien and Invasive Species Regulations of 2014,” the department said in a statement.

“In terms of this category of listing, such species must be controlled, and may not be sold, transferred, bred or in any other manner allowed to invade.” The sale of the turtles over the internet was therefore illegal, and regarded as an offence under the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations. “Such offences may result in a fine of up to R5 million for the first offence and/or a jail sentence.”

The department was planning on banning adverts for the sales of the turtles after it engaged with the administrators of websites where the illegal trading was taking place. – ANA


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Trading of red-eared turtles illegal in SA - IOL SciTech

Interesting....
I personal have seen these guys on sale in many pet shops around Durban.
 
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crazy , i wonder how they would in force a 5bar fine in this country
 
would in force a 5bar fine in this country

Find it amusing how the figure changes. I work in the invasive industry and actual figures government gave us was R10 000 per specimen.

Have heard of a company being fined 4bar before, they accidentally cut out a small forest of protected trees
 
Find it amusing how the figure changes. I work in the invasive industry and actual figures government gave us was R10 000 per specimen.

Have heard of a company being fined 4bar before, they accidentally cut out a small forest of protected trees

Ouch...

How did soo many manage to get into the country in the first place and still get in?
or are the ones in pet stores locally bred now...
 
companies i can understand , but a private guy forking out 5bar i dont see happening , they cant even enforce the chop living down the road from buying a 80 buck permit before he destroys my rock pool trying to catch a anthais ,i wish we had more wild life programs dedicated to SA like a NatgeoSA channel @459b did watch our anc president on tv last night ?
 
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How did soo many manage to get into the country in the first place and still get in?

Our borders havent been particularly well monitored when it comes to animals. Another issue is the rating system they randomly assign invasive species. I can legally own/breed/sell/import a Category 2 species provided i have a permit. Then one day they decide to make it 1b, now merely possessing it can get me in trouble. If you have time go and read up on the corn snake disaster.
 
but a private guy forking out 5bar i dont see happening

I sort of agree.Look at Luckyfish and his clowns. They make these law, dont enforce any of them and then focus all their energy on ONE case to try and prove a point and scare people.
I missed his speech. Cant bare to watch him talking, rather read about it the next day.
 
Our borders havent been particularly well monitored when it comes to animals. Another issue is the rating system they randomly assign invasive species. I can legally own/breed/sell/import a Category 2 species provided i have a permit. Then one day they decide to make it 1b, now merely possessing it can get me in trouble. If you have time go and read up on the corn snake disaster.

I see...
Makes sense.
 
These red ears are the most invasive animal species worldwide. Trading in these should have been stopped long ago. Not sure about today, but last year it was still legal for Pet Shops in Natal to trade them. Not the other provinces. There are a lot of other animals that you can legally buy in a pet shop in Pretoria, but not in Cape Town, like Bearded dragon.
 
The department was planning on banning adverts for the sales of the turtles after it engaged with the administrators of websites where the illegal trading was taking place.
And that's why y'all are not allowed to sell local fish on the forum, I don't want to be getting any nasty emails from the cops. :y13: :lol:
 
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Our borders havent been particularly well monitored when it comes to animals. Another issue is the rating system they randomly assign invasive species. I can legally own/breed/sell/import a Category 2 species provided i have a permit. Then one day they decide to make it 1b, now merely possessing it can get me in trouble. If you have time go and read up on the corn snake disaster.

Have another question on this,
Say if you were breeding/selling these with a permit.

After it is changes to 1b, what happens to the livestock on hand..?
 
Legally they should be confiscated and destroyed but this causes a bit of an outcry so seldom happens.

lol, I like the word you used :m14:

So the permit holder will have to keep them until the die naturally...?
That can be hectic if the permit holder has a large quantity...
 
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