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Message: <blockquote data-quote="plessey" data-source="post: 220123" data-attributes="member: 373">50 years ago? Try every year. I would say there are probably more new species entering the hobby through smuggling/brown boxing than legal imports. I'm afraid the bitter pill you have to swallow is that if you are involved in this hobby then you are directly or indirectly supporting this activity. Especially if you own species from countries such as Brazil or South Africa where there is a zero export policy. Just because you buy from a "reputable dealer" a generation or two down the line, it doesn't absolve you of this. You are still creating the demand that the smugglers seek to supply.Now because I see in your signature, as well as me being bored and playing devil's advocate, that you mention smuggling as being illegal, unethical and immoral. Tell me which do you consider worse? The legal exportation of tarantulas, where hundreds of specimens are collected every year, essentially strip mining areas (the good old Chilean Rose being a perfect example) for the pet trade or a couple of German/Polish collectors illegally taking a few specimens/egg sacs & selling off the slings at high value which then go on to populate the hobby?</blockquote>