5 ms·

Okay, don't love what he was creating the sheep for but I'm not sure I understand why this is such a big deal? We change animals all the time (looking at you,

Okay, don't love what he was creating the sheep for but I'm not sure I understand why this is such a big deal? We change animals all the time (looking at you, French Bulldog owners), unfortunately often to their detriment.

ceejayoz 3y ago
It's clearly not the mere hybridization that's problematic here.
maximinus_thrax 3y ago
> Montana Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Wildlife Trafficking Charges as Part of Yearslong Effort to Create Giant Hybrid Sheep for Captive Hunting Pay attention to the wording here. The charges aren't about the hybrid per-se, they're about wildlife trafficking.
showerst 3y ago
He important an endangered species, AND forged the vet certificates. This is how we get new diseases in staple livestock.
- h2odragon 3y ago
  he imported parts of of a restricted species, and had clone embryo made from that.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
klyrs 3y ago
I know we're not supposed to ask if you've read the article, but I've gotta wonder why the first two top-level comments are responding to the headline and wondering why a whole bunch of shady and fraudulent behavior isn't okay. Did this denizens of this site learn nothing from Theranos?
- Dig1t 3y ago
  Theranos was a scam that stole and squandered investors money. This crime had no such direct victims. The two are not very comparable IMO. Who is the victim in this situation? What actual harm was done?
  - munificent 3y ago
    Anyone who lives in an environment is a potential victim if you go about creating or introducing a new species that becomes invasive.
    - Dig1t 3y ago
      > Schubarth brought parts of the largest sheep in the world, Marco Polo argali sheep (Ovis ammon polii), from Kyrgyzstan into the United States without declaring the importation He didn’t import an invasive species, he imported PARTS. I do not see any victims of his actions. Also this is for a wild game ranch, for hunting. These ranches have extra high fences that surround the entire property to keep all the animals contained. Even if he did import the whole sheep, he has a strong economic incentive to contain them. This exact thing is perfectly legal in Texas, happens all the time, and causes no problems.
      - klyrs 3y ago
        > These ranches have extra high fences that surround the entire property to keep all the animals contained. I watched that movie!
      - ceejayoz 3y ago
        > He didn’t import an invasive species, he imported PARTS. "It's OK, I killed the endangered animal first!" isn't likely to be a successful defense argument. > I do not see any victims of his actions. As with drunk driving, you are not required to; we're allowed to act before widespread ecological disaster ensues. > This exact thing is perfectly legal in Texas, happens all the time, and causes no problems. The Endangered Species Act applies in Texas too.
rob74 3y ago
To add to the other stuff, French Bulldogs probably won't reproduce in the wild and outcompete native species, but these sheep might (as the grey squirrels are doing in the British Isles).
- ipaddr 3y ago
  Similiar to the killer bee scare of the 80s/90s

ceejayoz 3y ago

It's clearly not the mere hybridization that's problematic here.

maximinus_thrax 3y ago

> Montana Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Wildlife Trafficking Charges as Part of Yearslong Effort to Create Giant Hybrid Sheep for Captive Hunting Pay attention to the wording here. The charges aren't about the hybrid per-se, they're about wildlife trafficking.

showerst 3y ago

He important an endangered species, AND forged the vet certificates. This is how we get new diseases in staple livestock.

h2odragon 3y ago
he imported parts of of a restricted species, and had clone embryo made from that.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

klyrs 3y ago

I know we're not supposed to ask if you've read the article, but I've gotta wonder why the first two top-level comments are responding to the headline and wondering why a whole bunch of shady and fraudulent behavior isn't okay. Did this denizens of this site learn nothing from Theranos?

Dig1t 3y ago
Theranos was a scam that stole and squandered investors money. This crime had no such direct victims. The two are not very comparable IMO. Who is the victim in this situation? What actual harm was done?
- munificent 3y ago
  Anyone who lives in an environment is a potential victim if you go about creating or introducing a new species that becomes invasive.
  - Dig1t 3y ago
    > Schubarth brought parts of the largest sheep in the world, Marco Polo argali sheep (Ovis ammon polii), from Kyrgyzstan into the United States without declaring the importation He didn’t import an invasive species, he imported PARTS. I do not see any victims of his actions. Also this is for a wild game ranch, for hunting. These ranches have extra high fences that surround the entire property to keep all the animals contained. Even if he did import the whole sheep, he has a strong economic incentive to contain them. This exact thing is perfectly legal in Texas, happens all the time, and causes no problems.
    - klyrs 3y ago
      > These ranches have extra high fences that surround the entire property to keep all the animals contained. I watched that movie!
    - ceejayoz 3y ago
      > He didn’t import an invasive species, he imported PARTS. "It's OK, I killed the endangered animal first!" isn't likely to be a successful defense argument. > I do not see any victims of his actions. As with drunk driving, you are not required to; we're allowed to act before widespread ecological disaster ensues. > This exact thing is perfectly legal in Texas, happens all the time, and causes no problems. The Endangered Species Act applies in Texas too.

rob74 3y ago

To add to the other stuff, French Bulldogs probably won't reproduce in the wild and outcompete native species, but these sheep might (as the grey squirrels are doing in the British Isles).

ipaddr 3y ago
Similiar to the killer bee scare of the 80s/90s