Is it legal to sell the skulls of animals killed en masse for that purpose?
I was a bit shocked by these listings. These animals were clearly raised for the express purpose of being killed so that their skulls can be sold. Is this legal? Is it allowed on eBay?
Thanks in advance!
18 comments
tex-421
·1 year agoFrom just a quick scan, it looks to me as though the skulls listed are from animals used in the legal production of various products, alligator skin boot, beaver fur hats, etc.
funfactorychannel
·1 year agodo they still use beaver testicles for vanilla flavor?
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year ago@funfactorychannel it’s actually a compound secreted from a gland next to their anus, and I believe it’s still used.
tex-421
·1 year agoIve read it was used as a fake raspberry scent. I’ve got a 15 year old 100ml tincture of castoreum that I prepared from beaver glans and pure ethanol. If you dilute it down there is some resemblance to raspberry but mostly it smells like a horse saddle.
gurlcat
·1 year agoLooking at the link, those are all animals that are farmed or trapped for this-or-that primary reason other than their bones. Beavers: fur. Snapping turtles: meat. Coyotes: Pest control, probably also fur (I seriously doubt enough wolves are being hunted for all those 'wolf-lined' parka coats, lol probably coyote fur as it looks the same as wolves').
The bones are sold as a 'secondary market' item to entities like that eBay seller.
gurlcat
·1 year agoYeah it's fine as long as they are not U.S. native migratory birds or endangered species. eBay has a list of specific animals that are prohibited to sell any parts of, which you can find in the policy pages.
estate_echoes
·1 year ago@gurlcat
I was going to make a joke about OP eating a hamburger and wearing a leather jacket while making this post...
but then then I had a suspicion...
Yup a listing for perfume tested on animals.
gurlcat
·1 year agoWell by "fine" I just meant not against eBay policy. If the OP's original guess was true, that the animals were raised just for their skulls, I would absolutely be opposed to that, even despite being an incurable 'osteophile'. I only collect bones I find; I would never buy them as a by-product of the fur industry. Nor would I buy cosmetics from companies that test on animals; they're not even relevant models for human risk assessment, as their bodies are so different from ours.
kensgiftshop
·1 year agoHow do you know they were raised just to kill for their skulls.
Could be from road kill, found in woods or from hunters/trappers.
thedreamhood
OP1 year ago@kensgiftshop I tend to discount this as a possibility in this particular instance, due to the perfect condition and consistent size of the skulls. However, as others have mentioned, they're more likely a secondary market for the "waste" left over from other uses of the animals.
theteamsetguy
·1 year ago@thedreamhood ,
Not necessarily. I watched a TV show of a guy and his wife that buy or pick up dead animals mainly from road kill, hunters, or bones found in the woods.
They would put the bones with flesh still on them in coolers full of dermestid beetles. The dermestid beetles would eat all of the rotting flesh off the bones after a while. The guy would sell the clean skulls and bones.
gurlcat
·1 year agoAbsolutely. However lots of people happily harvest roadkill for meat, if it's still fresh.
I remember one time my aunt hit a deer on the interstate, and a passer-by gave her a ride to the truck stop on the next exit. She asked the clerk for help contacting the nearest towing business, and a 'local' who overheard the conversation was quite excited to ask where this happened, so he could go get the deer.
thedreamhood
OP1 year ago@theteamsetguy , I tend to discount this as a possibility in this particular instance, due to the perfect condition and consistent size of the skulls. As others have mentioned, they're more likely a secondary market for the "waste" left over from other uses of the animals.
luckythewinner
·1 year agoThese animals were clearly raised for the express purpose of being killed so that their skulls can be sold
And this is "clear" because ... ?
thedreamhood
OP1 year ago@luckythewinner My assumption was due to the perfect, consistent appearance of the skulls. Most roadkill skulls would show damage. Furthermore, the skulls of each species are about the same size, meaning the animals are all about the same age. This also comports with farm-raised. HOWEVER, the skulls as a secondary market (as mentioned by others in this thread) might also account for this.
luckythewinner
·1 year agoSo in other words, it not really "clear" after all ðŸ‘
estate_echoes
·1 year agoAnimals are killed for other purposes. Skulls and other bones are waste that are sold.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoI'm no expert on the subject, but perhaps you should see if you can tell if those follow the policy outlined here: https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/animal-products-policy?id=5046