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Post: Smuggled Toucans

Posted by concerned animal lover on 6/26/04

Beware folks, there is a guy from Calfornia who is asking
for trouble. He is advertising Toucans daily all over the
internet, including here, on Birdmart. I checked with two
breeders recently, and they assured me he is dealing in
smuggled Toucans.
Toco Toucans, and Keel Billed Toucans are extremely
difficult to breed, and this time of the year is when a few
start getting smuggled in from Mexico, into Southern
California.
BEWARE - ONLY BUY CLOSED BANDED BIRDS DIRECT FROM A
BREEDER!!! Both of the breeders I spoke with told me about
the horror stories of many of these smuggled birds being
sick and dying shortly after purchase. Both breeders told me
the same story, that Toucans, unlike parrots, cannot handle
the stress of improper diets, during the smuggling process,
and most develop hemochromatosis, iron storage disease,
which CANNOT be told by any medical test, in fact, many
Toucans shortly before they die to this disease can look
just fine.
One of the breeders told me that he has reported the party
that is here on Birdmart to the US Fish & Wildlife service
who are investigating the matter. The birds in question are
subject to seizure, and the parties involved in their
smuggling and sales are at risk of heavy fines, along with
long jail terms, as both Toco Toucans, and Keel Bills are
CITES protected species.
Both breeders told me that they are involved with chasing
down every party that deals in smuggled Toucans, and I
offered to join their fight. I hope this guy who is doing
this to make a few bucks knows what he is getting into.
Dealing in smuggled CITES protected species of Wildlife is a
FEDERAL CRIME.
BEWARE PEOPLE!!!

Posts on this thread, including this one

Smuggled Toucans, 6/26/04, by concerned animal lover .

Re: Smuggled Toucans, 6/28/04, by KarenH.

Re: For crying out loud, 6/29/04, by Robin P..

Re: Re:Just stating my opinion!/np, 6/29/04, by KarenH.