outstanding prices for Vipera ammodytes ssp.

sorry, only in german:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:bNfnk2EphdwJ:www.ktz.at/apa_content_detail.php%3Fdetail_id%3D78196+KTZ+Sandviper&cd=2&hl=de&ct=clnk&gl=at&client=firefox-a

This article contains statements from an Austrian wildlife protection organisation and a owner of a carinthian reptile zoo, saying that carinthian long nosed vipers (formerly known as Vipera ammodytes illyrica) has almost been brought to extinction by illegal snake hunters and dealers. They further try to tell their readers that venomous keepers and hobbyists are responsible for rapidly decreasing numbers of vipers in their remaining habitats and that these vipers are sold by international wildlife trade for prices from 10000 (in words: ten thousand) Euro (!!!) up.

Peter

Hell yeah,10000 bugs??What a price.Even if i got that money,i would never pay 10000 for a Vipera ammodytes.only my opinion....

To high price in any opinion but sad also because this price will lead more people to colect them in the wild.

after this article a lot of people will go and catch some vipers because they think they could get 1000 for each they collect.
Very Happy

edit: 10.000

What an article! I know Mrs. Happ, but this is absolutly crazy! The prices was never so high like it´s wrote there. Not in the best times the was realy ,,rare´´ammodytes Population in our Vivarians! I know some breeders of them, and sometimes the has had realy trubble to sell their offsprings each year, and the prices was not over 100€ /each one. And the statement, that the ,,Schütt´´ ammodytes are so unique is also shit. Yes, for Austria maby, but not for all. Shure the looks a little bit differend to other ,,withe-gray´´ ammodytes Populations, but not real diffend to some from N-Italy or Some Parts of Slovenia as well. And corect me if I´m wrong, a lot of other Locations in Former Yugoslavia also...
Years ago, the ..most wanted´´ ammodytes was the V.a.ammodytes from around Bolzano N-Italy - South Tyrol), also a pale-gray Population and then the ,,Lake Scutari´ones. But I´ve never heard from a ammodytes that get´s a real higher rices than 300€ and this was for a crazy red or yello one, and only for CB annimals. Never for the gray. This article is in my opinion a typical PR Article! Now we have Holliday time, and a lot of People will visit Austria. Maby some of them will read this and come now to visit the Zoo!

But I will state also for that what J.C. Schwitalla has post: Maby now some people wil read this article and go now for a hunt of them. Maby the officials will catch one of this stupid men. And then, the has there evidence for a ,,illigal ammodytes trade´´ What a shit!
I don´t hope it, but when the right one read 10.000 € each, and then the say also exactly where the have to search.... Good work Mrs. Happ. Now all knows very well where the have to search for them.

The ,,Schütt´is not the 2nd Milos Island! People that works with Vipera s.l. long time, knows what I mean.

Thanks for your statement, Peter. I agree and cannot understand that someone does victimize things like real protection of these magnificient vipers just for poor public relations purposes.
Both of the cited experts are members of a assiciation called "Verein für die Rettung der Kärntner Sandviper" ( Association for the rescue of the carinthian long nosed viper) and all that's left for me at this moment is the question if that's the right way to protect them from complete extinction or not.....

Helpless greetings
Peter