I'm not going to devote any more time (well, I think I'll put a little more time in) to this beyond this post but,
Both parties Scott Trageser and the Bangladeshi scientists are separate entities who are directly connected and work together.
Some basic facts that make your assertion look just ignorant.
1) None of the people who run the radio-tracking project have an ecotour or wildlife photography business. They don't take professional pictures,
Jonathan
My name is Scott Trageser and I run NatureStills LLC. I am a herpetologist and professional photographer.
NatureStills
Media/News/Publishing Scott Trageser
LLC.
Limited Liability Company / business / professional photographer
The Bangladeshi scientists may not have a professional photography business's but their close associate Scott Trageser does. As for owning an Eco Tour business , the Bangladeshi scientists might not own the Eco Tour business but,
Fundraising for a scientific project (that is being run by someone other than yourself) and selling something for your own pockets are two very different things.
Jonathan
Not when your the direct beneficiary , in this case the Bangladeshi scientists are the direct recipients i.e., beneficiary's of the funds generated by this eco tour business. This Eco tour is a for profit venture, how the money is spent is irrelevant to the fact that the point is to turn a profit. Make money, this whole thing is being promoted as the Bangladesh Python Project. The reason the pythons get top billing is because the Bangladeshi scientists are trying to cash in on the Florida python research feeding frenzy. The phrase " cash in " to take advantage of or exploit (a situation).
Ernie Eison
Indeed. I thought Ernie's vigorous FHF smear campaign was specifically against scientists/research focused on the pythons in the FL Everglades, but apparently any kind of connection made here between pythons and scientific research is enough to set him off. I suppose virtually everyone here is already clued into his dishonest hysterics, but for any who might not be, this is the main point to take away: gbin
Which is all meaningless, because the point of the Bangladesh Python Project is to study and conserve pythons in their natural habitat in Bangladesh, NOT to control them in Florida. Jonathon
The Bangladesh Python Project is demonstrably tied to the Florida python hysteria. The Bangladesh Python Project flat out says their research will provide us with "insight " on the "invasion mechanism" of the Burmese pythons in
Florida. They wasted no time in posting the article about the marsh rabbit study on their Facebook page, from the word go they were openly including themselves in the Florida situation.
Bottom line, Had it not been for the pythons in Florida the Bangladesh Python Project would not have happened. Like many they saw it as an opportunity for something they could get in on.
I have looked into this Python project and the people who it benefits and how, what they get out of it , what they have said, who has supplied them with expensive equipment etc. I certainly don't need to pm Jonathon for any further insight on this topic. There is nothing private I have to say about any of this. I'm making my points and providing verifiable evidence to support them.
The rest of Jonathon's post is his usual misleading (taking things out of context, misrepresentative, somewhat condescending, manipulative, somewhat stupid ) rhetoric. His strange way of trying to shift the topic away from proven points by interjecting his version of the facts along with character assassination to try and prop up his side of the story. Its always about trying to tare away at my credibility. School yard games.
Rather then make another post, I`ll tack this little tidbit on to this existing one.
[Ernie Eison] and [David and Tracy] Barkers' many years spent trafficking in pythons has enabled them to learn a fair bit about these snakes, without a doubt, but his and the Barkers' profound vested interest - not to mention his profound dishonesty in defending that vested interest from perceived threats (I won't speak to the Barkers' methods, as I'm not nearly so familiar with them as I am his) - unfortunately means that no one should trust anything Ernie Eison has to say on the subject of FL's pythons or the scientists/research focusing on them. gbin
His and the Barkers' many years spent trafficking in pythons has enabled them to learn a fair bit about these snakes, gbin
This misinformation was corrected by placing gbin's nonsense into factual perspective. I'll include the direct link to the thread this post was taken from for anyone with an interest in reading the whole thing and commenting in the appropriate thread, without cluttering up this one.
http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... 16&t=21365
As pointed out the Barkers spent years of intense scientific study in reaching their level of expertise, it is not simply the result of picking things up while being just a couple of snake traffickers as the poster (gbin) try's to lead the reader into believing .
The poster gbin finishes with a bang. Belittling two people (the Barkers) who are regarded by many professional herpetologist and biologist as two of the worlds leading scentific authorities on pythons. Certainly the Barkers extensive body of scientific work supports this.
This work includes the most comprehensive, scientifically detailed books and publications ever written on the subject of pythons and their ecology. Their extensive professional backgrounds in working with many other types reptiles and amphibians, everything from field work with the now extinct Golden toad and tuatara's to common rattlesnakes and many other types of animals. Their research , dedication and scientific knowledge is beyond reproach. Both Dave and Tracy Barker have extensive academic backgrounds as well as an unfathomable amount of private work on which to hang their hats on. I would venture to say they are the most experienced python experts in world today. In their work you will not find the glaring errors and misinformation, the exaggerated claims that have been a consistent trade mark of the " funded " python researcher's work.
Quote:
WSTREPS wrote:
... busily throwing everything and anything at the wall to see if he can get something to stick.
Look again at my earlier post. gbin
ok,
It was said,
These three people have long been involved in importing, breeding and selling pythons for profit. gbin
These three people is referring to the Barkers and myself. This skewed information was then corrected, To refresh, I have not imported or sold large constrictors at this point, I'm guessing it's been over a decade. I have a ZERO monetary vested interest in this issue. The Barkers have NEVER been commercial importers.
The Barkers have been openly discouraging people from keeping and breeding large constrictors, encouraging keepers to work with smaller more manageable species for even longer than I have. As with most things involving these creatures they have been at the forefront of a sensible best practice protocol from both a conservation and captive husbandry perspective.
It was said ,
Do a quick search and you'll find that any time the subject of FL's pythons comes up (and he's not infrequently the one who brings it up) gbin
This untruth was then corrected, The number of threads I have started on the introduced python topic is exactly two. And these threads were years apart. One I didn't even comment on. I will add that there have been many threads on the subject that I did not participate in.
It was said ,
as with perhaps one or two occasional exceptions these scientists don't participate here (and so can't defend themselves from Ernie's unceasing campaign here to discredit them and their work). But, yes, I have gotten to know Ernie all too well. gbin
This untruth was then corrected,
People who have been directly involved with various Everglades python projects, that have posted (some many times) in the discussions I've participated in, include people such as, Bob Reed, Mike Roachford, Josh Holbrook, Chris Gillette, their friends and colleagues , keep in mind that some of these people at the time these discussions were taking place, were working directly with other high profile python researchers such as Skip Snow and Gordon Rodda. Most of these names are mentioned in the Dorcas / Wilson book that is the actual topic of this discussion. , in fact the book is dedicated to Skip Snow.
For someone to say that these scientists have not often participated here is absurd. Bob Reed posted in this very thread!
It was said ,
That's only one single charge, it was made only after he had already in this thread made essentially the same charge against others gbin
This comment was gbin's claim that he only accused me of one thing after I pointed out his making multiple false claims. Clearly a lot of crap was thrown at the wall in making that one charge, everything and anything he could dredge up from the bowels of his imagination.
As for me making essentially the same charge against others. There is a very profound difference, my words are based on years of personal experience, reading the books, peer reviewed articles, examining the study's, comparing statistical data, going over the work published by Reed, Rodda, Dave and Tracy Barker, Mike Dorcus, Richard Shine etc. I have a deep and personal knowledge of these animals , their environment and the work that's been done. Based on this I'm able to (and do) bring to light and often correct the glaring (and not so glaring) faults in methodology and the misinformation in an often blunt but educated manor. I have the level of expertise on the subject to do so.
On the other hand , gbin / Gerry brings this to the table ,
I'm not personally acquainted with any of the scientists who have been/are, either. Heck, I don't really even know all that much about the situation, having myself read only a bit more about it than what has appeared in the popular press and, to be frank, not giving it all that much thought, either. gbin
Nuff said, Ernie Eison
