Legal to buy radiated tortoises from other country ?

[phtanus]

Dear everyone,

I am totally new here. I tried to post several times, but I don't think I did it right...

I have a question here about purchasing radiated tortoises.

I was looking for radiated online and found somebody who claimed he sells radiated tortoises but he is in Cameroon. He also claimed this is not his first business, because he sent radiated tortoises to someone in Florida just this January.

My question is, since radiated tortoises are endangered species, does this kind of thing (oversea postage and purchase) really work ? Will I get any trouble from this (I mean by law) ?

I do not have a CBW permit. Even if I have the CBW permit, does this work at all ?

Thanks.

 

[Madkins007]

Dear everyone,

I am totally new here. I tried to post several times, but I don't think I did it right...

The first several posts from a new person have to be approved before they are posted. This protects the forum from bots and other problems. This is explained in the introduction forum- http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Please-read-before-making-your-first-post#axzz1lI6pecNS

Welcome!

 

[Tim/Robin]

Buy nothing from Cameroon! It is 100% scam. You cannot purchase a Radiated from another country without special paperwork and permits, and I am not sure you can even get such permits.

 

[phtanus]

I see. Thanks.



[/quote]

The first several posts from a new person have to be approved before they are posted. This protects the forum from bots and other problems. This is explained in the introduction forum- http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Please-read-before-making-your-first-post#axzz1lI6pecNS

Welcome!
[/quote]

 

[dmarcus]

Buy nothing from Cameroon! It is 100% scam. You cannot purchase a Radiated from another country without special paperwork and permits, and I am not sure you can even get such permits.

100% agree!!!!!!

 

[tygoh]

Cameroon and Madagascar is distance from ocean. LOL

 

[Neal]

Tell him you want to buy 1,000 radiateds and you're going to to send him $100,000.

 

[Tccarolina]

Tell him you want to buy 1,000 radiateds and you're going to to send him $100,000.

Ha! Then email back and say "Oh, no, I accidentally sent the money to the wrong address, and I can't get it back"
They"ll forever be haunted by the big one that got away!

 

[phtanus]

Guys,

I emailed the seller in Cameroon back and forth, and he told me that he is going to apply a kind of permit called CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ), and this will clear the customs.

Right now let's not worry about if this is fraud, but only think about if this is legal. Does anybody know this so-called "CITES" permit will make this kind of international trading legal ?

Thanks.

 

[Tim/Robin]

A. radiata are listed in CITES Appendix I. Per their website, http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/how.php "•Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances". I highly doubt any Cameroon fellow can convince anyone that this is an "exceptional circumstance". Appendix I animals are the most protected. Apart from CITES paperwork, there would likely have to be additional Fish and Wildlife paperwork as A. radiata are listed as "Endangered", which gets them additional protection.

 

[dmarcus]

Yes there is a CITES but anyone selling tortoises out of Cameroon is a fraud. These people are good at what they do. They will tell you all the stuff your looking to hear and that you can verify. But you will never see a tortoise and they will not apply for a permit.

Why don't you tell them you will send payment once the tortoise has arrived it the country and a wildlife Representative has verified it and see what they say...

 

[wellington]

I had come across them some time ago. They made it look like they were right here in Chicago. When I emailed about a tort, they emailed back all kinds of good stuff. Then when I asked for the second time where they were located in Chicago, so I could come and see their torts, because they say you can pick up, I never heard back from them Hmmmm. Do you think they new I was catching on? Or maybe because I said some to nice of things about the way the torts were so pyramided.

 

[Tccarolina]

Guys,

I emailed the seller in Cameroon back and forth, and he told me that he is going to apply a kind of permit called CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ), and this will clear the customs.

Right now let's not worry about if this is fraud, but only think about if this is legal. Does anybody know this so-called "CITES" permit will make this kind of international trading legal ?

Thanks.

Camaroon is the preferred place for internet scams selling reptiles. Do a search on this forum or a google search and you will find out. Apparently the laws there make it a safe harbor for internet scams. Basically, any deal of any kind from Camaroon is a fraud. That's why everyone keeps bringing up the fraud thing.

 

[Madkins007]

EVEN IF you can get the permits, and everything else is kosher, it is going to cost you big bucks for all of this. If you feel you really want a radiated, you would be better off getting one from a more local source.

May we ask what your background with tortoises is?

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Talked to the same camaroon guy, SCAM!!! don't know about legality issues, but this is definitely a scam. I tend to stay away from dealing overseas. Most likely going to be a scam.

 

[Laura]

everything will go greart, you will send the too good to be true payment.. then Surprise,, your tort is stuck in customs and will DIE unless you send thouasands more...
start playing with them... see what happens.. it gets kinda fun... the tort will turn into a puppy.. the names change.. the same gereric pictures get sent...
DO NOT send any money.. regardless of what they tell you... its what they do. . its a huge business..