Wild-caught vs. Captive-bred

[Herpin' Man]

There seems to be a popular opinion in the herp hobby lately, that collecting wild specimens is always wrong. It isn't. If the animal is of a sustainable species and population, and the individual collecting it is prepared to provide proper care, there is nothing wrong with legal and responsible collecting. They are no different from other wild resources, such as game and fish.
Many newcomers to the hobby seem to be unaware that captive breeding is a relatively new phenomena, and of course, all captive bred species originated with wild caught specimens.
One of the most obvious benefits of WC to the hobby is that it is necessary to bringing new species into the hobby. Of the thousands of species of reptile and amphibians known, only a tiny percentage of them are regularly captive bred.
Another benefit to the hobby is that wild collecting can bring in fresh genetics, to strengthen and/or diversify existing bloodlines. It is also beneficial to those working with "locality" animals.
A third benefit to collecting is that it helps make the connection, for the collector, between captive herps and nature- it puts them in context. Whether a seasoned hobbyist or a young person collecting their first toad to keep as a pet, the more connected we are to these animals in their natural environments, the more invested we will be in their conservation.