The year 2000 has been something of a troubled one for herpetological shows, with the Kent IHS exhibition at Gillingham and others having been cancelled under pressure from animal welfare and -rights groups and the latter in particular apparently working towards making the private keeping of reptiles illegal. However, it may be that more reasonable heads on both sides of the argument have prevailed for the time being, since the Essex show was allowed to go ahead, the organisers having taken steps to reassure the RSPCA of certain conditions being fulfilled. Two of the most important, from what I could see, were that all livestock would be captive-bred (no wild-caught allowed), and that the general public would not be allowed to handle the animals. I think there may have been a grey area here, since there were other notices urging people to wash their hands after handling animals, but I think the intent was to stop casual handling of the animals, probably by children in particular.
From our home to Basildon is not a long journey, but I was pleased to see that the organisers had put up a couple of prominent banners (very neatly done) at strategic points en route to assure visitors that they were going in the right direction. The event was taking place in a sports centre and there was plenty of parking available, which was as well because virtually every spot seemed to have been taken when we arrived at midday. Outside the centre, apart from the burger van, were about half a dozen or so protestors from Animal Aid (an animal rights group) plus a couple of policemen with their car keeping an eye on things. I had heard ugly things about some of the "antis" that had turned up at Gillingham this year, but I must give credit to the Animal Aid folk, who were dignified and quiet. In fact I overheard a group of four of them having a discussion with one of the older herpers, and the talk was conducted on very civilised lines. If only we could be like that all the time!
There were about three or four folk from the Essex Reptile and Amphibian Society (the organisers) at a table on the door, taking money and stamping your hand so that you could go in and out. Entry was £2.50 for adults (I can't remember if there were any concessions). Once inside there were a number of notices to observe, including one forbidding photography or videoing without the permission of the organisers. My wife spoke to one of the organisers, who was quite amicable about her taking photographs: the ban had apparently been placed as a reaction to certain individuals turning up to recent shows with cameras hidden inside baseball caps and other bizarre behaviour. The committee's line was that they were happy for people to take photos as long as they did so openly. Whether the hidden camera individuals expected the same sort of reception that they might have got on a Japanese whaling vessel if discovered, I don't know.
One of the results of the ban on displaying wild-caught animals was, as might have been expected, a decline in the amount of livestock on show, although snakes seemed to be as abundant as ever. Perhaps hardest hit were the amphibians, of whose species I can honestly say I did not see a single one. This is a pity, but then one of the good things about the absence of wild-caught stock in my opinion was that it did make you stop and think just where your herps were coming from. The ratios of animals at the show showed that snakes are still by far and away the most frequently bred reptiles, followed closely of course by the "common" (but still fine) lizards such as bearded dragons (easily the best represented lizard here from what I could see) and leopard geckos, which were also fairly abundant. One of the most pleasant surprises for me was the diversity of captive-bred monitors on display, including the Peacock Monitor V. auffenbergi and the Spiney-Tailed Monitor V. acanthurus. Tellingly none of the common-but-large monitors were on display, which again is probably a good sign: specialists should still be able to buy them if they really want one, subject to any paperwork, but I do not think a show is the best place to offer Water Monitors or, especially, Nile Monitors (as has been done in the past). Young Yemen Chameleons were also in evidence.
Snakewise there were many fine examples of the more popular species offered, plus some interesting displays that included nearly adult size Boa Constrictors and a beautiful Macklot's Python (Liasis mackloti). The only tortoises I saw were babies that were display only, although I may have missed any for sale which would surely have been snapped up at the beginning of the show. Invertebrates were quite well represented, not only by tarantulas but by millipedes (I think) and giant African land snails, among others, although I did not see any scorpions this year.
A larger than usual part of the show this year was taken up with equipment and accessories, which although less glamorous is probably even more vital than the sighting of new species being offered for sale. Shows often offer equipment at good prices, and this one was no exception. There were wooden vivaria of all sizes and the usual selection of heat mats, UV bulbs and motors, water bowls and cage furniture, plus interesting and useful gadgets such as clip on lamp holders. Books were also in abundance, often at cost price or better, and I found a couple of titles that I had rarely if ever seen in the shops before. Many of the stallholders I had seen before at previous shows, which bodes well for them and us as it shows that some people can make a living out of the hobby and that hobbyists are not subject to the uncertainty of having to deal with a set of strangers each year. It was also good to see such groups as the British Chelonia Group and the Iguana Rehoming Trust there, while Portsmouth Reptile and Amphibian Society were doing a good trade as usual in species-specific care sheets. The new Federation of British Herpetologists was also represented by a stand with a newsletter that might be described as a manifesto on the lines of "know your enemy", making keepers aware of who was saying what and threatening to do what to the hobby.
Having gone somewhat reluctantly to the show, partly through tiredness and partly through fear of overspending, I came away having made several sensible purchases (new UV bulbs, books, bowls and other equipment). In a way I think that the Essex event may be a sign of things to come. The amount of animals may be down on some previous shows, but hopefully this will encourage us to think more carefully about what we actually plan to buy, rather than (as is always the temptation) falling in love at first sight and buying creatures on impulse, or because we feel if we don't grab that rare gecko or monitor now we will never have a chance to do so again. It should also give us a spur to breed those species that are suitable for keeping privately, including some (such as European reptiles or amphibians) which could actually do quite well in the UK, including outdoors. One other thing I did notice that appeared different from some years' events (although I may be wrong) is that there seemed to be a lack of the more, shall we say, extrovert element who seem to associate herps with being macho, weird or interesting. While I have nothing against being bohemian or arty, or being into bikes (some of my friends are bikers and I haven't had a haircut for six months), it may be that an element of faddism is disappearing and that British herpers are sobering up and taking the hobby seriously, particularly in the face of the threats to close it down. While I think we have a perfectly legitimate right to the enjoyment of our pets, if we can show that we are also sane and sober people, that must be a good thing.