Congressman continues work to curb trade in exotic snakes
January 28th, 2011 by admin
On Wednesday, Florida Congressman Tom Rooney introduced legislation that would halt the import and commercial trade in Burmese pythons, African rock pythons, anaconda, boa constrictors and several other large, potentially dangerous snakes. (Congressman Rooney was a co-sponsor of a similar bill that failed to pass during the 111th Congress.)
House Resolution 511 would add these species to the federal list of “Injurious Wildlife,” making it illegal to import the snakes or ship or sell them across state lines.
Congressman Rooney explained that the bill is needed to protect the environment, “People buy these snakes as pets, but as they grow larger and more threatening, many owners soon realize that they cannot care for them safely, and they release them into the wild. Unfortunately, our ecosystems cannot accommodate these massive predators, and our native wildlife suffers.”
The bill would also benefit animal welfare. “Pet” snakes are often purchased by individuals who lack the knowledge and resources to properly care for them.
The possession and sale of these snakes as pets is against the law in Florida, but exotic reptile dealers in Florida still enjoy brisk business importing snakes from Africa and Asia and selling them to pet stores and individuals outside of Florida.
If we needed any more evidence of the problems created by the trade in exotic snakes . . . .
Yesterday, a man walking his dog came across a 14-foot, 150-pound African rock python sunning itself near a river in Tarpon Springs. The man called police who captured the snake. “It took three full-grown officers to wrestle with it, to get it through the woods, and they had to take a break halfway through,” the man told the St. Petersburg Times. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman said the snake appeared to be a “well-fed snake” and was definitely a pet at one time.
And on Sunday, an animal control officer captured a 7-foot-long boa constrictor in a residential neighborhood in Vero Beach. The officer reported picking up five large non-native snakes in Indian River County in 2010.
ARFF thanks Congressman Rooney for his leadership on this important issue!
Please contact your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to co-sponsor H.R. 511.
To find your U.S. Representative, go to www.house.gov and fill in your nine-digit zip code in the box at the top left corner.