Topic: Lucky to witnessssssss sssssomething ssssssso sssssspecial thisssssss morning!

[rshome123]

Astounding experience Rich.

[tapp]

Excellent report and pictures, even the rescuers were pleased with the result, great stuff. I have just come back from Chiang Mai, left on the 29th may, glad i didn't see any snakes

[loveitspicy]

tapp

you should have looked me up mate

nice to hook up with same minded (curry) folks

best, Rich

[nursebetty]

Great story and pics
I can handle Snakes but not that size
As for Spiders well hate them

[livo]

This thread is the answer to what is in "mixed powder" apparently.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/quarantine-officers-intercept-live-snakes-in-package-sent-from-indonesia-to-melbourne/story-fnjwkt0b-1227411346545

[Peripatetic Phil]

This thread is the answer to what is in "mixed powder" apparently.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/quarantine-officers-intercept-live-snakes-in-package-sent-from-indonesia-to-melbourne/story-fnjwkt0b-1227411346545

She said the snakes have been destroyed and will now be tested to determine their species, their origin, and any pests or diseases they may be carrying.

Typical.  Kill them first, then find out what they are.  For all the quarantine officers knew, they might have been (a) completely harmless, and (b) the last remaining instances of one or more near-extinct species.  Sometimes mankind's uncaring thoughtlessness disgusts me.

** Phil.

[livo]

Yes, phil.  It is a bit extreme.  Maybe they could have been put on the first plane back in the other direction.  Australia does have very strict customs and for good reason.  So far we are still free of most (not all) of the world's worst biological problems.  The Minister recently wanted to euthanize Johnny Depp's dogs, after they were illegally brought in on his private jet, undeclared.
 

[Peripatetic Phil]

So far we are still free of most (not all) of the world's worst biological problems.

Was it not Australia that /developed/ (and then exported) the myxomatosis virus, one of the worst man-made biological problems yet to emerge, and which is responsible for the prolonged, protracted and painful death of millions of rabbits worldwide each year ?

** Phil.

[Ghoulie]

Great observation & pics.

Some good food in Chiangmai - was there for my 25th wed anni 1993

[livo]

Phil, my understanding is that Myxomatosis was deliberately introduced into Australia in an attempt to eradicate or control the European rabbit which was also introduced.  Rabbits are a real problem here and Myxomatosis was a botched effort to fix the problem but it was not developed here. It is an awful disease and I have witnessed first hand what it does to the rabbits here on my own small acreage, of which there are quite a few I might add.  It initially came from South America.  There is now also RCD or calicivirus as well as myxo.

Introduced foxes are also a problem, along with feral cats and cane toads.  Foxes and cats are doing unimaginable damage to the long term survival prospects of many small native species of marsupial like bilby, quoll, antechinus, possums and gliders with many now on the endangered list. The cane toad, introduced to control the cane beetle, has spread across Northern Australia and due to it's toxicity has caused a disastrous wave of death amongst the larger predators like snakes and monitors that try to eat it.

There are a several introduced species of plant that the early settlers brought over here as well which are a real biological / environmental disaster, those being Lantana, Privet and Blackberry and Camphor Laurel among others.

We are Rabies free which was the problem with Johnny Depp's dogs, although it is doubtful Pistol and Boo had rabies.  There are a few very suspicious cases of Lyme disease in people who have not travelled abroad but the official line is that we don't have it here, which is probably wrong.

I am a strong supporter of strict biological border protection and quarantine, but immediate death of possibly endangered species, as you correctly point out is very unnecessary.