Microchips to Save Peru's Alpacas

lakeesis writes "BBC News has published an article stating: 'Peru has launched a campaign to implant microchips in hundreds of pedigree alpacas to try to stop the best animals being smuggled out of the country. Officials say they know alpacas are being sneaked across Peru's borders'."

Comments

Technology for the sake of technology?

[metlin]

All it takes for the people smuggling the animals is to take a hand-held scanner and find out the location of the microchip and cut it out.

If it is easy to implant, it would be easy to remove.

Hmm, looks like they are just trying to throw technology at a problem hoping it would work.

Then again, ofcourse, the smugglers maybe quite unaware of this and the more gullible ones may just get caught.

And oh, first post?

Safeguard the genepool?

[metlin]

Sheesh! The things people do for greed.

"...safeguard the gene pool of its three million-strong herd."

You mean, safeguard the genepool to stay within Peru. Heh.

Peruvian law bans the exportation of alpacas that win pedigree certificates.

Wow. Safeguard the genepool so that the best stay within my borders. Not to troll, but unless these have been specially bred (say, genetically modified), you are trying to hold onto what nature has bestowed upon you.

And prevent the best from getting out, so that if there is any disease or epidemic, the best will all die out with not too many of them outside my borders.

And that is good how?

Re:Safeguard the genepool?

[Prof.Phreak]

...are trying to hold onto what nature has bestowed upon...

Sorta like some countries like to protect their natural resources from getting out... like oil.

Shame on them!