Good morning everyone

I signed on to my local Sugar Glider forum this morning and got this message:

If all goes wrong then all sugar gliders will become illegal when Gauteng Nature Conservation pass their new proposed laws. To avoid this attend the meeting on the 14th of February at the Voortrekker monument and let them know they are not going to bulldoze through stupid legislation. The proposed legislation is in its final draft for discussion. RSVP that you are going on or before the 7th of February to Boniswa.belot@gauteng.gov.za and Miranda.mhlongo@gauteng.gov.za. Its only a few hours ... from 09h00 to 13h00.

Forgive my ignorance but what in blazes is going on? Theres been all sorts of rumbles for years about this sort of thing, the last list of prohibited species being these www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/fil...ies_g32090gen349.pdf so, since Giders are not included is someone trying to pull a fast one? And what other exotics have toevallig made their way onto this list?

If so, what other bans are we being faced with and why is this public participation meeting not being advertised elsewhere?!!!!!!!!!!

This is typical for government to slip one sided legislation through the uninformed. There is a meeting at 9am on 14 Feb at the Voortrekker monument for the final draft for legislation to ban ALL feeders in the Gauteng area. More information can be obtained via e-mail to tim@petbugs.co.za. Tim will give further info and RSVP members who are able to attend. :angry:

Tim Surman Everyone who wants to attend needs to rsvp to GIVEN.PHAKULA@gauteng.gov.za and Boniswa.Belot@gauteng.gov.za before the 7th. Please include names of participants for nametag purposes.

This is a lot bigger than it looks. If Im reading the legislation correctly T's are on the hit-list too. If they slip this one through they could kill the hobby in one fell swoop.

Thanks for the info, Ive mailed Tim, does anyone else know anything?!!!!

Alien Animals
21. (1) The animals referred to in Schedule 4 are alien animals.
(2) The MEC may by notice in the Provincial Gazette amend, substitute or repeal Schedule 4 to this Act.
Restricted activities involving an alien animal
22. (1) No person may, without a permit-
(a) import;
(b) transport;
(c) keep;
(d) breed; or
(e) trade in,
a specimen of an alien animal except an alien animal listed as a pet species in Schedule 3.
(2) A permit referred to in subsection (1), may be issued only after a prescribed assessment of risks and potential impacts on biodiversity is carried out.

The list of pet species are:
Mammals
a. Marmoset
b. Squirrel Monkey
c. Hamsters
d. Dwarf Hamsters
e. Chinchilla
f. Tenrecs
Invertebrates
a. Alien tarantulas and alien scorpions excluding those listed in terms of section 67(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004
Reptiles
a. All non-venomous alien snakes excluding those listed in terms of section 67(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004.
b. All non-venomous alien lizards, monitors and geckoes excluding those listed in terms of section 67(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004.
c. All alien chameleons.

So all venomous snakes and heloderma are outlawed, all crocodilians and tortoises. This also includes all Tamarind monkeys, all dwarf hedgehogs, raccoons, fennec foxes, Coatis, sugar gliders, chipmunks, Squirrels, Spider monkeys, Capuchins, Howlers, Gibbons etc

Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with provisions of this Chapter is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction in case of an offence referred to in section 22 to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both fine and such imprisonment.

Restricted Activities with alien invertebrates
66. No person may without a permit import into, or convey in or through, the Province, any alien invertebrate for entomology, commercial or collection purposes.
So this means no meal worms, super worms, roaches, mantids or stick insects. The penalty is Offences and Penalties, 71. (1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with provisions of this Chapter is liable on conviction in case of an offence referred to in section 64, 66 or 67 to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both a fine and such imprisonment."

So what I understand and reading through a whole lot of information regarding legislation, it has been stipulated That the MEC may by notice in the Provincial Gazette amend, substitute or repeal to an Act..

So I think this is what has happened.
it is scary to think what is going to come if it is passed.