Some people...

[Lee]

While coming home today I turned a block away from my house not noticing a thing. Later I am told that there is a large yellow snake on the corner of the street. I immediatly go to investigate to find a dead 2ft bullsnake. This is the first non garter I've seen, such a shame it was dead, it was obviously run over or beaten on the head.. Why are people so incosiderate towards life? I was too late, by a mere 30 mins... :*(
/sad

[KITKAT]

I have been out field herping a bit this spring, now that Ohio finally has steady temps in the 70's and low 80's during most days.

I have found NOTHING.

Then about a week ago, after three hours wandering around in a wetlands mitigation in a fruitless search for anything herp, I came home to find a HUGE eastern, squashed almost beyond recognition, lying on the road about a half mile before my driveway.

DANG IT DANG IT!!!!!!!!!!!

[drache]

a few days ago Mikhaila came home, very upset
a friend brought back slides from a China trip
there was one of snakes being skinned and Mikhaila thought she heard someone say that the were being skinned alive
please, someone tell me, they're not skinning snakes alive in China

I've been reading her stortes from "The Hopes of Snakes"
that day, unfortunately, we got to a segment about some awful things people had done to snakes in her area
I had to do some super quick, on-the-spot editing to make it suitable for bed time

also: I had a hard time writing this post, because many of the words that came naturally on this subject are unsuitable, even when It's not bed time

[Snaky]

I can't say if they are being skinned alive. But in China people have a different perception on animals. Almost everything that is eatable can be bought, cooked and eaten. They sell the rarest animals on their markets, picked directly from nature to go into the cooking pan. It's sad to hear, but part of their culture.

For the rest, I think most of it is already said here:
Why?

[adamanteus]

Rhea, I'm afraid it's true, they do skin snakes alive in many places in the Far East. If the snake is alive, it "assists" the process, as it would while sloughing, in it's efforts to get away. They also remove the gall bladder from living snakes.

Literally millions of snakes are killed every year, because of their ability to cure impotence and generally rejuvenate. Yeah, right. It's a disgusting trade, and one which I have tried to bring to the attention of organisations such as WWF and IFAW many times over the years. Unfortunately snakes just aren't cuddly enough to be championed by these people. Don't even get me started on this!

[drache]

while I didn't know about the snakes specifically, I do know about their disregard for animals in general
some of us in the international Chinese medicine community are actively working to get substances derived from certain animals banned
many, such as bear gallbladder and tiger bone have already been banned
yet of course there is a thriving undergrounds market, particularly for substances reputed to enhance men's potency
I wonder of course
in the old days, the guy probably had to kill the bear or tiger himself, which automatically made him a man worthy of sexual attention
I wonder whether that was really the thing
I doubt anyone has researched these particular substances to see whether and what part of them actually works, and works better than other bones or gallbladders
the herbal books give substitutes, but tiger and bear just have that manly sound to the
sometimes I wonder whether I'm just a really angry person under all that civilized veneer, because there are so many things that can get me so very angry

[cheryl]

The other thing that frightens me about this...the steps between squishing a bug, deliberately mowing down a snake, purposely running over a 'possum etc. seem to get smaller to people as they go. I mean, how can anyone not understand that it is absolutely unforgivable to put any living thing in agony? Where do these people stop? History shows us that people who kill people frequently started out abusing other animals. Been a while since I was a student. Do they teach kids about animals at all? Field trips to the petting zoos, assemblies featuring people who care for the less 'cute' species? Kids, whether or not they have been taught to fear animals, at least have a healthy curiosity about things that might make them more likely to adapt.
On the positive side, my husband has encountered several of my snakes lately, and has been able to control his response. Even to the one that he swears is 4' long!

[garterman07]

i periodically bring "less cute species" to the elementary school namly tarantuals and other arachnids., some times even scorpions if i can get a temporary hold of one. i enjoy informing the little kids of what to do and what not do when encountering these animals

[mikm]

I think at it's root, it's a blatant disregard for 'life' and/or the perception that humans are a 'superior' life form and all other forms of life inhabit this planet for our 'use'. There is no value placed on 'life'. I question the value of one's own life if you are so easily able to snuff out anothers with no regard for it's pain.

[Serpentine99]

I question the value of one's own life if you are so easily able to snuff out anothers with no regard for it's pain.

That's when it comes down to ethics. If people don't value other lives then they're making 0 or worse contributions to helping the earth.