Reptile & Amphibian
News Blog
Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.
Tuesday, January 31 2012
 A radio debate over whether citizens of the United States should have the right to own exotic pets is scheduled for tomorrow's The Diane Rehm Show on NPR at 11 AM Eastern Time.
For more information on the show and how and where to tune in, check out the Diane Rehm Show web site.
The right to own pythons, tigers, chimps and other exotic pets depends on where in the US you live. The legal US wildlife industry doesn’t get much national attention unless someone is hurt, an exotic pet gets loose or an ecosystem is damaged. A new report links Burmese pythons released in the Florida Everglades to the severe declines of in the region's mammals. In Ohio police shot and killed dozens of exotic animals including wolves, lions, and bears reportedly set free by their distraught owner. As some fight for more regulation, breeders, brokers and owners of exotic pets say they are being unfairly targeted. Guest host Susan Page and a panel discuss battles over the legal wildlife trade.
Guests
Wayne Pacelle - President and C.E.O. of the Humane Society of the United States
Andrew Wyatt - president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers
Zuzana Kukol - president and co-founder of Responsible Exotic Animal Ownership (REXANO)
Tim Harrison - director of Outreach for Animals, and advocate group for proper behavior around wildlife
UPDATE: Feb 1, 2013 2:15pm - To listen to an archive of today's Diane Rehm Show you can stream it at http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=15416
Saturday, January 28 2012
Researchers at the University of Florida think the Ozark Hellbender may hold clues to the decline of amphibians worldwide.
At more than 2 feet long, the Ozark Hellbender is the one of largest salamander species in the United States, with an unusual biological ability to regenerate injured or missing body parts.
"In the last 20 years we have been finding a tremendous number of injuries on these animals and those injuries are not healing," Nickerson said in a university release Monday. "Now the population is down to almost nothing and we are very worried about the species and the environmental changes around them."
In the study, microorganisms from abnormal and injured salamander tissue were examined for pathogens that may be causing a lack of regeneration and population decline among the hellbenders.
The Chytrid fungus has arrived in the Western Ghats.
“What we have detected is minimal, but it is very significant because this virus can threaten the already declining amphibian population in our forests to total extinction,” said RGCB scientist Sanil George, who along with Juha Merilla of the University of Helsinki headed the study.
With permission from the state Forest Department, the scientists had taken swabs off the frog’s skin from various locations in Kudremukh, Agumbe, Aralam, Athirapalli, Periyar, Munnar, Vellarimala, Ponmudi and Peppara regions of the Western Ghats.
This was the first such screening reported from the Indian sub continent, which until now, was generally believed to be free of the deadly fungus.
The ICUN Red List is finding that right now, amphibians are at the largest risk of extinction.
Professor Carsten Rahbek from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC) at the University of Copenhagen and his team identified various factors that put global amphibian diversity at risk, but noted that the spatial distribution of these threats and interactions are poorly known. Climate change, land use change and the fungal disease chytridiomycosis are some of the serious threats that the amphibian species face.
The researchers postulate that the greatest proportions of species adversely affected by climate change, what is probably the most serious threat, will be in Africa, parts of northern South America and the Andes. Their data also suggest that amphibian declines will probably accelerate in the 21st century, due to the multiple drivers of extinction that could threaten their populations more than previous, monocausal assessments have reported.
To read the full article, click here.
Wednesday, January 25 2012
 Rhode Island is the latest entity to introduce legislation aimed at reptile owners and hobbyists. Introduced by Senators Tassoni, Lynch, Perry, and Pinga Senate Bill 2033 proposes a ban on the ownership of pythons and boa constrictors in Rhode Island, giving reptile hobbyists in the tiny state a double dose of regulation indigestion. Should it become law, anyone found in possession of these animals will face fines of at least $1,000. The bill as introduced prohibits ownership of the following: Alligators. Crocodiles. Pythons, and Boa constrictors.
To read the bill as introduced, click here. Although Rhode Island is a pleasant enough vacation spot, it is hardly habitat that would allow any of the proposed species to sustainably reproduce and become invasive. Additionally the bill as written provides no direction as to what to do with the animals currently in public hands, nor provisions to grandfather them in. Thanks to PIJAC for the heads up ~
 The Chelonoidis elephantopus tortoise was thought to be extinct, but the presences of its genes in hybrid stock tell a different story.
A genetic analysis, published in the latest Current Biology, found that DNA footprints of the long lost tortoise species, Chelonoidis elephantopus, exist in the genomes of its hybrid offspring. These tortoises turn out to be a mix of C. elephantopus and another giant tortoise from the area, C. becki.
While researchers have yet to isolate a purebred C. elephantopus individual, such tortoises must exist, based on the DNA data. The study marks the first time that a species has been rediscovered by way of tracking the genetic footprints left in the genomes of its hybrid offspring.
"This work also underscores the importance of museum collections in facilitating new discoveries," co-author Ryan Garrick told Discovery News. "Here, we were able to extract DNA from tortoise bones that were collected many decades ago, and use this DNA to characterize the gene pool of purebred C. elephantopus."
To read the full article, click here.
Tuesday, January 24 2012
Kingsnake.com user Mark Haas is currently in intensive care after being shot while transporting animals for sale. Our hearts and thoughts are with Mark at this time for a quick and speedy recovery.
Mark L. Haas remains in intensive care with a collapsed lung at Crozer-Chester Medical Center after being shot Sunday in the parking lot of Woodlyn Shopping Center, said Ridley Police Lt. Scott Willoughby. His injuries are not life-threatening, he said.
Haas was supposed to sell the snakes to a buyer from New York, but police still do not know if the deal went bad or Haas was the victim of a random carjacking.
The suspect took off in Haas' car with two boxes of snakes inside and eventually hit a pole in Folsom, then ran away. Willoughby said police found the car and removed the boxes - one containing 20 baby pythons and the other a five- or six-foot python - back to the police station so they would not freeze.
To read the entire article, click here.
Monday, January 23 2012
 The Water Monitors ( V. salvator) of Malacca are being hunted to extinction for meat, leather and medicine.
“Fifteen years ago, these reptiles could be easily spotted lazing along the river bank of scenic Malacca River. Now, they are hard to come by,” said city councillor Ronald Gan Yong Hoe.
“In some countries, monitor lizards are protected under Endangered Species Acts. We hope the state government will move to conserve our local reptiles,” the member of the Malacca Historic City Council said.
“If nothing is done, the extensive poaching of this reptile could lead to its extinction,” he said.
Gan said the local monitor lizards, known locally as biawak, are large water monitor species (varanussalvator) capable of growing up to three metres long and 25 kilos in weight.
He said that apart from their skin and meat, the reptlie was sought for a liquid from its body that was commonly believed to increase sexual prowess in both men and women.
To read the full article, click here.
Inset photo from our photo gallery, posted by VolleyBallJoe
Saturday, January 21 2012
By
Sat, January 21 2012 at 11:27
Cindy Steinle requested that I express my view on this blog; specifically one of my rants on facebook. I have edited it to a PG level so please know that when I use "frickin", I truly mean another word ...OK
I've also added the previous evenings rant as well....because I am as mad as Hades and I am not going to take it anymore!!
Please refer to the youtube link...while the sentiment is of a different motive and era, the message is EXACTLY the same!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMBZDwf9dok
Pondering again (January 20th)...
If USARK states that they can intervene and possibly stop the python ban officially getting enacted within the next 56 days now but it will cost another $150,000 to do so....why the heck isn't every breeder stepping up and ponying in $10-15k (more or less...whatever...) and making that happen!!
Quite frankly, I'll sell my entire collection RIGHT NOW of 100 various reptiles, cages, heat sources EVERYTHING for $50,000 plus transport fees and immediately donate all of it to USARK if they can guarantee to get it STOPPED. I can overcome and rebuild. And all of that while the python ban does not directly have an impact on me because I was thoroughly screwed over in 2005 when NY passed the total ban which makes this heated ban look like child's play!! I'm willing to put up 1/3 of their "required" cost...and I don't have squat except the true passion enough to sacrifice all for the benefit of many.
Yet, many of the mega breeders boast, brag or flaunt that they have a SINGLE morph priced at $20,000; they actually have several that are priced that way. I know of one facility in the northeast that has well over a million dollars worth of these specialty morphs. The one in particular has already made youtube rants on how much this will be a negative impact....really? Most of the morphs aren't on the ban...this time. Ball Pythons may very well make it next time...or boa constrictors.
IF I am willing to put that up, why the heck aren't the breeders (or even avid owners) pouring money out because it's THEIR industry that is getting buried!!The old timers (and I mean old time) put their darn houses on 2nd mortgage in order to start breeding these...starting with the first albino strains back in the day. The vast majority of these mega breeders are the same as of today plus some "new" faces. I'd hate to think they are like every other big business and doesn't give a rat's arse about the little guy....although it's the little guy that this movement ban is all about....even though the mega breeders can still ship overseas or within their own state; they get hit financially but still in business.
I guess I'm confused, annoyed, p*ssed off, irritated and overall perplexed that everyone talks a good talk until it comes time to take action. Andrew Wyatt and USARK can only do so much...we've all given $25, $100 maybe $1000 or more....all for the "WHAT IF..." scenario...well...I would guess the time is here.
I'm rambling....I do that.
Sorry Herp America...perhaps next time don't sit on your arse and do nothing but rant on facebook....still sarcastically p*ssed....
Can you imagine if I actually drank just how much of an arse I would be?
I suppose Jay, Brian, Tommy and many others aren't going to get hit that hard over this...a big hit but they'll just move onto acceptable non-banned animals to fill the void within the US and maintain their breeding of those banned for the overseas market....all the while driving the price up; filling what was lost due to this newly adopted Lacey Act amendment.
Then again...big frickin' deal if this ban does gets enacted. It basically means you remain status quo with the snakes that are already owned or can readily purchase within your own state. Is everyone that transient that they are moving THAT frequently out of state that this ban is really an issue? I cannot even own the frickin' things in NY...at least you still have that right!!
OH YES, can't forget the military when they get deployed out. Guess what, anyone have any idea just how many "banned" snakes we have in NY on military bases because that is Federal land and NY Law does not apply? HUNDREDS!!! Because everytime the troops get deployed out of Fort Drum, the snakes get dumped or sold or relocated by the service persons...the vast majority don't care if they loose their pet....more important things on their mind like oh, perhaps loosing their life.
So...stop your pampered whining (myself included)...be happy with what you have and perhaps next time get off your armchairs and DO SOMETHING more than idle chatter!!!
And from a previous night's rant:
Pondering here tonight (January 19th)....
Much like what was done in the eleventh hour of New York State's Prohibited Exotic Animals enacted in 2005 after the Bill was passed but prior to final signing into Law; well paid and manipulated attorneys did a final edit which added some animals (including some reptiles) to the list cited....I am wondering with an educated guess that the following will be added to the Lacey Act Python Ban description of those banned including regal pythons, green anacondas (all ssp), reticulated pythons, amethystine pythons (all ssp) and boa constrictors (all ssp).
If not now, I am sadly confident that they will be added by amendment within a year afterwards UNLESS an injunction can be filed before the remaining 57 days expire.For those that think that it is impossible to happen, I will refer you to the differences between New York States Bill comparing it to the final Law; after you get done shitting yourself from this atrocity...I think you may agree that it is indeed possible.
http://www.scalesandtails.com/pdf/Law.pdf
What all of you have been feeling for the past 48 hours, I and fellow herpers have been "pleasured" by since 2005 in New York State.What I STRONGLY suggest is to make sure that you have COMPLETE documentation of all snakes that you may have currently that are on the list; you will have to prove ownership and age from this point forward. New York State grandfathered those already in existence at the time our law was enacted but MISERABLY FAILED to provide the bureaucratic paperwork trail that was required to keep the banned animals!!! In turn, causing many innocent, honest & worthy snake owners to surrender their banned snakes and possibly be fined for owning a banned snake without proper license....a license that New York State to this day does not provide!!!!!!
Catch22...you betcha!!
Be forewarned, this will get VERY UGLY at the National Level...already has.
Please keep in mind that this new addition to the Lacey Act has zero impact on me personally but I have MANY friends, acquaintances and respect numerous breeders, large and small that this does have a negative impact upon. One breeder in particular, I have a grave distaste for BUT I do respect that even he is going to feel the pain and I do have compassion for his situation and will be standing by his side fighting along side because this will eventually touch each and every one of us in the herpetological community. United we stand, divided we fall...
By Varanid
Sat, January 21 2012 at 10:33
One of the side effects of the recent legal issues is that people are talking about education--not just lobbying. This is a good thing, and HAS to happen for us to survive (and frankly needs to be part of our lobbying efforts).
I've done (admittedly) intermittent public education with herps. Not hard core, non stop, but I have done some. I've spoken to Scout groups back when I was younger (and still involved in Scouts).
I've done volunteer work at our local zoo, where I can educate people about herpetofauna and sometimes let them touch and handle a snake, while being told how beneficial and harmless most of them are. I've tried to answer questions at pet stores, even when I don't work there.
It's not enough, but it is something.
The long and short of it is that lobbying will not, by itself, save us. We have to garner some sort of public acceptance of us, and for our animals. The most successful lobbying groups (like the NRA) all seek to EDUCATE the public--why their issues matter, why their take on it is right, and how to participate. You don't have to agree with the NRA to recognize it is an immensly successful organization--in part because it seeks to educate people about firearm safety and encourage people to try shooting as a hobby.
We have to do that. We have to educate people to realize:
Reptiles aren't on the whole particularly dangerous.
Many reptiles can be good pets.
Reptiles as pets are a responsibility you can't undertake lightly.
Reptiles are an important part of nature.
Reptile people come from all walks of life and can look like the guy next door--sometimes I think the most damaging stereotypes the public holds are about US not our animals.
You don't do that by writing letters to your state representatives (although you should also do that). You do it by giving talks at libraries, schools, scout meetings, things like that.
Doing this properly can help lessen the public perception of us as weird---and trust me, people still think it's weird to keep herps as pets. We spend enough time around each other we forget that, but I was recently told "but you seemed so normal!" when my new boss found out I had snakes at home. And she's an educated, early 30s, woman, with a masters degree, not some ignorant yokel.
People still have frequent misconceptions about reptiles and what they can and can't do--a poster on a conservation message board I'm on, who is ALSO educated (a botanist) was convinced that reticulated pythons posed a threat to the US ecosystems. I tried (perhaps not as nicely as I should have) that they can't handle any place that regularly freezes.
I still see people that are convinced bull snakes and rattlesnakes hybridize, that reptiles won't grow past thier enclosure, all sorts of awful myths that should have died 50 years ago. We have to combat the dual dragons of misinformation (about the animals) and stereotypes (about both the animals and US). The only way to do that is to dress nicely, speak correctly and politely, and present our animals in a factually accurate, non threatening manner. We HAVE to do this or we will fall.
Education and talks, hopefully, swell our ranks--and moreever, get the new members of the club off on the right foot.
There's a lot to doing public talks well, but that's the subject for a different blog.
 The reptile world is in mourning this week after losing two of it's own, people that changed the reptile world for everyone in a good way and whose loss leaves big holes in our communiuty.
Center for North American Herpetology Co-founder and Director Joseph T. Collins suffered a heart attack and died on 14 January 2012 in Florida. Joe Collins was the driving force behind the Center for North American Herpetology. The CNAH brings a variety of herp news, some of it shared here on this page, and provided a data bank for researchers and professionals across the country a central networking data base. His list of books that he authored is immense and I would venture to say most herpers own at least one. His passion for the field was obvious and it was in the field herping that he left this community.
But for others who knew him more intimately, Joe was a major inspiration. Mike Rochford, a wildlife research assistant for the University of Florida, knew Joe, and his life's path was forever changed because of that. From Mike:
He was just an all-around great guy. He could always make you smile, laugh, or get excited about the future. He was the brains behind the Kansas Herpetological Society, the number one state herp society in the nation. And he had the ability to excite a passion among people in that state that will never be rivaled. In fact, KHS field trips brought in many people from other states as the reputation for a good time and great herping became more and more well-known. The state of Kansas really lost a champion for wildlife. Joe was "The Crocodile Hunter" before that ever became cool. And by that I mean he inspired a lot of people with his enthusiasm.
 Andy Price, former state herpetologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife died January 16th, 2012, at Christopher House in Austin, TX, after a long fight against Multiple Myeloma. He was an avid field herpetologist and worked for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from 1986 to 2008. From 2009-2010, Andy worked with the Texas Natural Science Center and taught at Southwestern University. Andy was passionate about fieldwork and was granted awards for his lifetime efforts in conservation of Texas reptiles and amphibians by the Southwestern Association of Naturalists and Texas Herpetological Society. He was given the Southwest Book Award for Literary Excellence for his book, Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico. He was Editor- in-Chief for the Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles from 1994 to his death.
I was long time friends with Andy, we sat on many committees, panels, and discussions groups together and I and all the other Texas herpers that had a close bond with him will miss him greatly. And Andy was a friend to kingsnake.com, participating in the site in many ways. Andy was a kingsnake.com chat week guest way back in 2002. You can read the transcript here. I will miss Andy deeply. His sense of humor got me through some bad times and long meetings.
Both Joe and Andy will be missed greatly by our community and their loss will be felt by all in many ways. Donations in Andy's name should be sent to support the “Field Research” section of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Grants in Herpetology program: Dr. Kirsten Nicholson, SSAR Treasurer, Museum of Cultural and Natural History, 103 Rowe Hall, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859.
Thanks to Cindy for helping with this post ~
Thursday, January 19 2012
 The USF&W Invasive Species Listing for the Burmese Python, Yellow Anaconda, and Rock Pythons will appear in tomorrows Federal Register, and here at kingsnake.com we have received a pre-release copy. At 161 pages the document is not light reading and is bound to make many in the reptile world upset.
One of the nuggets gleaned in a quick scan is this gem -
Many commenters stated that responsible owners would release or euthanize their snakes if this rule passed. We do not believe that this would be the case since pet owners will still be allowed to keep their snakes and sell or give them away within their State.
Considering the whole premise of the Burmese Python "problem" is based on the governments repeated statements that these are animals that have been released into the wild by exactly those same people, that makes this claim hard to justify.
To download and read the whole document, click here.
 Elvis, a Saltwater Crocodile at the Australian Reptile Park, decided that he didn't want his grass cut one day. And really, once an 1100-pound animal decides what it wants, very little can be done to change his mind.
"Before we knew it, the croc had the mower above his head," Mr Faulkner said. "He got his jaws around the top of the mower and picked it up and took it underwater with him."
The workers quickly left the enclosure. Elvis, meanwhile, showed no signs of relinquishing his new toy and sat guarding it closely all morning.
Eventually, Mr Faulkner realised he had no other choice but to go back in after the mower.
Mr Collett lured Elvis to the opposite end of the lagoon with a heaping helping of kangaroo meat while Mr Faulkner plunged, fully clothed, into the water. Before grabbing the mower, however, he had to search the bottom of the lagoon for two 3-inch teeth Elvis lost during the encounter. He quickly found them and escaped from the pool, unharmed and with mower in tow.
To see video footage, click here.
Recently an Australian family had an unwanted house guest. A 1.7-metre (around 5.5 foot) Saltwater Crocodile was lounging in their living room!
Jo Dodd said she was first alerted to the reptilian intruder by the frantic barking of their family dog.
"We opened the door to our bed-room and looked into our lounge-room area and there was a crocodile," Dodd said.
"It was the most freakiest thing - you don't usually see a crocodile in your lounge room. It was really a very surreal moment."
This croc was a wee baby; they can easily grow larger than 7 meters.
Wednesday, January 18 2012
Regardless of your thoughts or feelings while reading this, please read it in its entirety. The conclusion may hold some surprises.
There is a call to action for the United States Fish & Wildlife Service along with the Department of the Interior to take action against a major wildlife threat looming across the country. Due to their threats against natural ecosystems, Domestic cats (Felis catus) need to be regulated or banned!
*An estimated 117 to 157 million exotic predators in the form of free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus), are estimated to kill at least one billion birds every year in the United States. Cats have contributed to declines and extinctions of birds worldwide and are one of the most important drivers of global bird extinctions.
Every year, thousands of cats are abandoned, released, or escape into the wild, and many of these turn to their feral state and form feral colonies. These colonies pose a real and severe threat to wildlife and natural ecosystems everywhere. A single cat can easily kill hundreds of wild, native animals in a year. Multiply this by a colony of 20 cats, then again by the number of colonies in township, which can easily number over 20, and you can see just how widespread of a problem this is. Typical prey items for cats include songbirds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Their primary instinct and prey items are songbirds and small mammals. All songbirds except for 2 in the entire country are protected by federal law, and many of these are even endangered.
Cats are natural predators that have an amazing ability to adapt to a wide range of living circumstances and have the ability to establish colonies everywhere in the United States. In many places, they have few, if any, natural predators which allow them to flourish. They are also prolific breeders and a single female can produce 20 babies in a single year. *Because of their ability to overwhelm existing native species and natural ecosystem processes in environments in which they have been introduced, domestic cats are moreover classified as invasive species. **Due largely to impacts resulting from its predation on other species, the domestic cat is listed by the IUCN as one of the “100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species”.
By listing these environmental hazards as injurious under the Lacey Act, they can prohibit the importation and transport across state lines. Further legislation should include orders and local funding to eradicate populations and legislation to prohibit ownership or implement permit processes to own these animals.
Feral Cats have established breeding populations in every state in the union and have caused significant damage to wildlife and they continue to pose a great risk to many native species, including threatened and endangered species. ***Historically, cats have been specifically implicated in at least 33 bird extinctions, making them one of the most important causes of bird extinctions worldwide.
Millions of dollars have been spent on efforts to fight this massive problem, and yet it only continues to grow.
Conclusion:
Now I’m sure many of you were getting more and more upset as you read through this, and some may even be downright furious inside. This was written to give you an understanding of how reptile enthusiasts and python keepers/breeders throughout the country are feeling today with the announcement that 4 species of Boids are being added to the Lacey Act. Think of the love you have for your cats and know that many people love and care for their pythons just as much. The interesting thing is, this article is not made up of made up statistics, false reports, and fake science like the python legislation is. It is entirely accurate and true to the best of my research and knowledge. Feral cats are a tremendous problem in the entire US, however nothing is being done to control it. And the government doesn’t dare attempt to do so based on the massive backlash they are bound to receive. On the other hand, the large snakes being added to the Lacey Act are an issue only evident to a small region of South Florida and CAN NOT become a problem anywhere else in the contiguous United States despite their falsified data stating otherwise. This federal action punishes every owner of these animals throughout the country due to a small local issue that affects less than 1% of the country. Much effort was made by reptile enthusiasts to prevent this, but unfortunately, there just aren’t enough reptile people to fight this. I wrote this in hopes of enlightening all Americans to our loss of liberties and freedoms. Today it’s pythons, tomorrow its lizards, hamsters, and birds, and before you know it….this article will become reality and you will be fighting for your rights to keep your dogs and cats. So please, even if you are not a big fan of reptiles, help take action against unjust regulations like the python ban because before you know, it will be affecting something you love.
This was written to increase awareness so feel free to link, cross-post, and re-post.
*NICO DAUPHINÉ1 AND ROBERT J. COOPER. Proceedings of the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/pdf/impacts_of_free_ranging_domestic_cats.pdf
**ISSG. 2008. Invasive Species Specialist Group Global Invasive Species Database. [Online.]
Available at: (20 September 2008).
***NOGALES, M., A. MARTÍN, B. R. TERSHY, C. J. DONLAN, D. VEITCH, N. PUERTA, B. WOOD, AND J. ALSONSO. 2004. A review of feral cat eradication on islands. Conservation Biology 18:310–319.
Tuesday, January 17 2012
This morning United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the Burmese python, the yellow anaconda, and the northern and southern African pythons would be added to the Lacey act as injurious wildlife in order to restrict their spread in the wild in the United States.
“Burmese pythons have already caused substantial harm in Florida,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “By taking this action today, we will help prevent further harm from these large constrictor snakes to native wildlife, especially in habitats that can support constrictor snake populations across the southern United States and in U.S. territories.”
Ashe said the Service will continue to consider listing as injurious the five other species of nonnative snakes that the agency also proposed in 2010 – the reticulated python, boa constrictor, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda and Beni anaconda.
To read the official release, please see http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Announces-Ban-on-Importation-and-Interstate-Transportation-of-Four-Giant-Snakes-that-Threaten-Everglades.cfm
Monday, January 16 2012
 After a five year plus battle and despite the best efforts of the reptile community, it is being reported by the Miami Herald that the U.S. is set to approve a federal ban on Burmese Pythons and most likely African Rock Pythons as well, next week during the presidents stop in Florida.
Under a rule that has been the subject of five years of lobbying and debate in Washington, the United States intends to declare the Burmese python an “injurious’’ species, which would make it illegal to import or sell the snakes across state lines. At least one other species that has been found in the Glades, the African rock python, also is expected to be included on the “injurious’’ list that originally included nine large constrictors.
As yet there is no word on the other 7 species on the proposed list, including Reticulated Pythons and Boa Constrictors, but watch this space for further news updates as they come in.
For more information on the expected announcement see
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/16/2592593/us-set-to-approve-python-ban.html
Sunday, January 15 2012
By
Sun, January 15 2012 at 12:44
I am looking for a year old male bearded dragon so my two year old female can play with one of her own kind
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