Re: [Gecko] Phelsuma imports and Parasite loads

[Emmanuel Van Heygen]

Dear Mr. Wells,   1. There are more captive bred tigers then there are captive bred P.flavigularis, and back in the late 80's and early 90's hundreds of these animals where imported.(More than tigers anyway) So your statement that they are easier to breed is false!   2. Most of the European collections that you mention are NOT bought in a pet-store! These animals were imported on a very small scale by specialist breeders with NO commercial goals! Most of the 'rare' species are traded among other specialist breeders in Europe and do not see the tanks of a pet-store or a commercial breeder at all.   3. Phelsuma guimbeaui and its subspecies live in a very restricted area on Mauritius Island. You even can not do a study on the density of these species per hectare as their biotope is even smaller! I have been visiting Mauritius for the past 8 years and the population decreased alarming over these years. It took me 5 days last year in May to spot my first P.guimbeaui at a spot I have been researching for many years.   Thanks Jamie,     Emmanuel