iHerp Australia Issue 1 | Page 27

Green Tree Python or Northern Knob-tailed Gecko. Moreover, you can be prosecuted for possessing any animal for which you do not have a permit, irrespective of whether you grabbed it off the road, or even from land that was about to be bulldozed. So it is easy to envisage a situation where an animal was about to be destroyed, under circumstances which can be verified, yet you are the criminal for somehow attempting to protect it. Isn’t that what we have wildlife authorities for? Nevertheless, the person who runs over the same animal on the road or clears their land for crops is within their rights to do so. The destruction of native wildlife equates to the loss of a natural resource that is protected, or valued, only within a certain set of parameters. Outside of these parameters, the desire for power, growth, and to fuel an economic bottom line ensures that others can do what they like. I believe this needs to be reviewed on a number of different levels and jurisdictions, so that we actually conserve, preserve, or at least effectively utilise what should be construed as rare and precious commodi- ties. We are aiming for publication in The Conversation, and the resultant article will also be reprinted in this magazine. Further reading: http://tinyurl.com/yazhrlmc ‘There are so many laws that cover wildlife in Australia, but we DON ’ T REALLY VALUE WHAT Along with a number of colleagues, I will be expanding on this concept in the hope that future generations can enjoy our scarce and declining natural resources as we do, rather than bemoan their loss from the north, as has occurred in conjunction with farming in the southern states. Exclusive photos of the raid. Above: ‘The prize of a lot of these animals is the skull.’ Left (slide show): The haul comprised more than 1,300 animal parts from 91 different species. Images courtesy Dr Gavin Bedford. WE HAVE .’