The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in January announced a proposed ban on the importation of Burmese pythons and eight other non-native constrictor snakes. The proposal also would bar interstate sale and transportation of the reptiles.

In addition to adding Burmese pythons to the list of injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act, the proposed ban would prohibit northern African pythons, southern African pythons, reticulated pythons, green anacondas, yellow anacondas, Beni or Bolivian anacondas, DeSchauensee’s anacondas and boa constrictors.

The proposal, which had not been published in the Federal Register at press time, will be open to public comment for 60 days before Salazar makes a final decision. The FWS also will make a draft economic analysis and draft environmental analysis available to the public.

A Senate committee in December approved a ban of the same nine constrictor species but the bill had not been scheduled for a floor vote at press time. Senate Bill 373, sponsored by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Fla., seeks to bypass the FWS and let Congress add the snakes to the list of injurious wildlife. 

Opponents of the bill, including the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (Washington), the U.S. Association of Reptile Keepers (Grandy, N.C.) and Sen. James Imhofe, R-Okla., argue that the legislation circumvents the established process, which allows stakeholders to have input. “We are setting a dangerous precedent of continuing to address these species outside of normal agency channels,” said Imhofe. “Although I will not be offering an amendment today, I will support efforts on the floor to mitigate the negative effects to those snake owners and breeders who legally acquired their snakes, but through no fault of their own now find that their property is worth nothing.”

Meanwhile, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reportedly intends to create a special two-month hunting season on state lands for Burmese pythons and other constrictors. It already allows licensed and permitted small-game hunters to take Burmese pythons and other reptiles of concern on four South Florida wildlife management areas. In addition, the FWC extended a pilot python-capture program that ran from July to October last year. The program will run through the end of this year.

Other states are turning their attention to pythons as well.

In Georgia, Senate Bill 303 would require a wild animal license to import, transport, transfer, sell, purchase or possess Indian or Burmese pythons, reticulated pythons, African rock pythons and Amethystine or scrub pythons, as well as green anacondas.

In Rhode Island, Senate Bill 2027 would ban the ownership of all species of pythons, as well as boas, alligators and crocodiles.
For more information, contact Bambi Nicole Osborne, director of governmental affairs for PIJAC, at 202-452-1525 or bambi@pijac.org. [March 2010 PET AGE]