EricIvins said:Chacos are legal to bring in from Argentina. They are laundered under Captive Bred paperwork which is what makes them Illegal, and are subsequently confiscated every time. Only a few people have been stupid enough to try it, and one is sitting in jail for the next 25 years. Last time USFW let them in was Daytona of 2010? or 09' when one Argentinian Exporter brought a bunch of stuff over for the show. There are a few people breeding them over there, but no one is going to grow them to 4" just to sell them for pennies on the dollar compared to sending them to other Countries when they hatch. In some areas they are considered Agricultural Pests, and are subsequently dismembered with a shovel similar to the way some Testudo species are treated in the Mediterranean........
Thank you for the info.
So why can't we bring some legal, legitimate ones in? Does the 4" rule apply here? Is this why you mentioned no one would want to raise them up to that size for a small amount of money? So If a source for legal ones could be found in Argentina, and they were the right size, they could, in theory, be legally brought in with all the necessary permits? Is it that no one will put up the money because they fear the government will assume the paperwork is phony and confiscate them?
I'd certainly rather see them in breeding colonies here than dismember in some South American farmer's field.
Bert Langerwerf was able to bring Tegus in from Argentina, not so long ago. Doesn;t seem like it should be such an impossible task. Please, lay some more education on me.