Stop import, export of SC wildlife

I want to thank The State and Sammy Fretwell for reporting about the dangerous wildlife trade being allowed to happen in South Carolina.

It is dangerous to allow highly venous African snakes — such as spitting cobras which can spit blinding venom into a person's eyesm and highly toxic gaboon vipers, whose bite can kill within 15 minutes — to be privately owned. And the damage to our wildlife by the selling of our reptiles and eels to China and other countries shows reprehensible laxity of our politicians.

Georgia and Florida do not allow these trades to happen. I want every legislator and Gov. Henry McMaster imagine while walking in the woods and meeting an escaped exotic viper. Also, know that the anti-venom available for those species is limited.

The fact that our beloved box turtles are being depleted by dealers sending them to be eaten or for pets to China — which has depleted its own native turtles species — should give every lawmaker the motivation to do something about protecting our borders and state treasures. That is a border-security measure both parties can support.

The State publishes a cross section of the letters we receive from South Carolinians in order to provide a forum for our community and also to allow our community to get a good look at itself, for good or bad. The letters represent the views of the letter writers, not necessarily of The State.