On the surface, Strictly Reptiles of Hollywood, Florida is the world's largest reptile import-export company, legally selling hundreds of thousands of snakes, spiders, and other creepy crawlies each year, and the likely source behind the green iguana or turtle in your local pet store.
But to Special Agent Chip Bepler of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, owner Mike Van Nostrand and his father are the brains and bank behind a vast global wildlife smuggling network.
In THE LIZARD KING, author Bryan Christy takes readers on a wild ride into a criminal jungle extending from South Florida through Europe, terminating in a Southeast Asian mastermind, "the Pablo Escobar of wildlife trafficking," who uses cheap reptiles as a front to smuggle the world's most precious reptiles, birds, and mammals.
THE LIZARD KING is the true story of crafty smugglers supplying rare animals to collectors and zoo curators worldwide; it is the story of an amazing multi-million dollar industry in genetically-designed snakes selling for $100,000; and it is a story of obsession.
And not just the bad guys'. In researching this book, Christy was bitten between the eyes by a blood python, chased by a mother alligator, sprayed by a bird-eating tarantula, and ejaculated on by a Bengal tiger. The result is a story that will fascinate and amaze you.
Old school snake hunters call looking for snakes, “flipping tin.” Why? On account of that’s what you do.
Are you too fat, too old, or too cold to go out and dig through trash for reptiles? Don’t worry, it’s Oscar season. You can go reptile hunting without leaving your sofa. From the advert pages of Vanity Fair and New York Times Magazine to the latest awards ceremony there’s plenty of opportunity to flip a little bling and find a python python or two. You’ll see snakeskin shoes and bags, alligator belts, and more. If you’re good, you can even ID the species.
So where do these come from?
I don’t agree with Peta on its anti-pet shop policy but I do think they’re on track with this video:
Inside the Exotic-Skins Trade.
I have vid of a far larger operation in the videos section.
I’m in a PETA frame of mind because PETA coordinated the investigation and raid of U.S. Global Exotics, of Arlington, Texas, the largest exotic wildlife seizure in U.S. history. Saturday, a judge upheld PETA on appeal. Now, in the reptile world PETA is hated. At my first Daytona Show python breeder Bob Clark was wearing a t-shirt that read People Eating Tasty Animals, and I was often accused of being a Peta-mole, a bunny hugger, and other nasties, until people got to know me. Then they just called me an asshole. In a nice way.
PETA is using the USGE case to urge a ban on imports from Malaysia and to advocate a ban on pet shops in the United States: ”Please don’t shop at PETCO or PetSmart and tell your friends not to either, and to never support any pet store that sells live animals,” was posted on its blog.
Without a pet shop, I never would have developed my love for wildlife so I can’t agree with that latter proposal. What surprises me is that no one is using the USGE case to call for minimum standards of care for the sale of exotics. From the time I was a boy, I have gone in every pet store I have ever seen. This applies anywhere in the world. If I see a pet store I have to go in it. I don’t know why. For years, that meant seeing alot of reptiles in poor conditions. Lately that has changed. Many pet stores recognize the value of well cared for reptiles. Still, others treat their reptiles as trash pets. There ought to be minimum standards of cleanliness, space, food and water for those animals and there ought to be better standards among breeders and keepers, too.
In the small world category, USGE, owned by Jasen and Vanessa Shaw of New Zealand, is a customer of Anson Wong’s companies, as reported by the very diligent Hilary Chiew of Malaysia’s The Star and by Mongabay.com, which kindly mentions The Lizard King.
Letter to the Editor appearing in today’s The Star, Malaysia. Those of you who follow this blog, or the story of efforts to improve law enforcement in Malaysia, know that Azrina Abdullah, former director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, has been an outspoken champion. Here’s my coverage of her work (Full disclosure: She also gave The Lizard King a positive review). Her courage to stand up and speak out on behalf of the country she is proud of and its wildlife has inspired positive change in her home, Malaysia, in the U.S., and no doubt in a few other places, too.
The question remains whether Minister Uggah will make this a meaningful reform or a paper one. Is this the beginning of improvement or the end? The forthcoming investigative audit will tell.
Well done to the minister for taking the initiative and positive step towards improving Peninsular Malaysia’s special permit system.
The proposed change is certainly welcome, especially in light of the numerous reports and letters from the public expressing dismay and concern over the mismanagement of wildlife trade over the past year. Read the rest of this entry »
THE LIZARD KING is the true story of crafty smugglers supplying rare animals to collectors and zoo curators worldwide; it is the story of an amazing multi-million dollar industry in genetically-designed snakes selling for $100,000; and it is a story of obsession. 
