FYI: Summary of Caudata.org US Survey for 2016 USFWS Salamander Ban

[MVM1991]

So....since its April and I haven't heard of any civil upheaval about our beloved herptiles, I'm guessing it didn't pass? I legit just saw this today and became deeply concerned. Especially considering we just moved to a different state

 

[mc Kravitz]

Many of these radical proposals are supported by some radical environmental groups like the Center for Biodiversity.
Their members will flood the federal registry comment page with support for the ruling. Most of the members are not scientist but rather librarians, business people, school teachers etc.
If they don't get their way the sue the USFWS and often win.
When USFWS starts one of these proposals they always get their way.

A few years ago they put common snapping turtles on the CITES endangered species list, even though every species monitoring agency listed them as "Of lest concern" of similar.
When this was pointed out to the USFWS via comment on The federal registry they simply answered that they have their own methods of determining weather the species is threatened or not and gave no explanation.
That response was a direct violation of the endangered species act, that requires independent professional research.
In short, USFWS is an authoritarian organization that basically dose whatever they want.
If they propose a rule, you can be sure it'll be instituted.

 

[mc Kravitz]

I think at this point they entertain themselves by seeing how many of our rights and civil liberties they can take away and not drive the nation crazy. “Land of the Free” but you can’t keep what species of pet your enjoy and prefer. One of the few things that give me joy in my life and they want to take that away from me. I’d bet good money little Marco couldn’t pick out the salamander in a line up of lizards. They have no right to legislate something they don’t even have the tiniest clue about. Why not shut down bullfrog farms? They are immune to the fungus but they sure can carry it! Why not out law migratory waterfowl? They could carry it on their feet from one country to another and from one state to the other. Why not ban herons/egrets that could carry it on their feet as well? So how stupid the law would be?

A few years they put farm raised common snapping turtles on the CITES endangered species list for no other reason then the fact that the Chinese ate turtle soup.
I suggested that the should put cows and potatoes (burgers and fries) on the endangered species list because McDonalds was setting up restaurants in China.