Importation of wild pythons for pet trade may threaten wild populations

I have been concerned for a long while about the wisdom of importing reproductively active wild adult female ball pythons from Africa. Not only do most of the eggs that hatch from these animals appear normal (despite the alluring claim of "hidden" genes or "great genetic potential"), but there are generally issues with external and internal parasites, possible disease transmission to captive and native wild reptiles (via mosquitoes and ticks, a concern in South America), and feeding problems.

Out of curiosity I did a search for scientific literature on this topic today. Sadly, there is very little peer-reviewed work out of Africa on most species due to a variety of political and economic reasons (charismatic megafauna are the exception to the rule). Sure enough, I found the following abstract. I don't have access to the full article right now, but I'm hoping to give it a read once I get back on campus.

From:
Luiselli, L., X. Bonnet, M. Rocco, and G. Amori. 2012. Conservation implications of rapid shifts in the trade of wild African and Asian pythons. Biotropica 44:569-573.

Pythons are harvested for the international leather industry and pet trade. We analyzed the CITES export records (1999–2008) of the most intensively commercialized wild pythons (Python regius,Python sebae,Python reticulatus,Python molurus,Python curtus species complex) from African and Asian countries where reliable data on trade rates and ecology are available. Mean declared annual numbers of exported pythons were 30,000 in five African countries and 164,000 in Indonesia. Trade intensity tripled in Indonesia over the last decade, but declined in Africa. African international trade is exclusively associated with the pet market (mainly United States and Europe), whereas Asian pythons are sold mostly for luxury leather, albeit more recently also for the pet trade. A negative correlation between the annual numbers of pythons traded in Africa vs. Asia suggests a rapid and recent shift of the pressure exerted on wild populations in the two main exporting continents. We also found a strong effect of the currency exchange rate (i.e., U.S.$/€, the currencies used by the major importing countries) on African python exports: when the cost per African python increased, importers relied increasingly on Asian providers for pet trade. Overall, our data indicate that Asian pythons (especially P. reticulatus) might be threatened due to the rapidly increasing pressure, whereas the decreasing international trade in African pythons is likely more sustainable.

The take home message? Rapid removal of reproductive adult females from a relatively long-lived, low clutch size animal always calls into question the stability of wild populations and the sustainability of that removal. We have learned the hard way what happens to species such as sturgeon when all adult females are harvested for their eggs (they go locally or globally extinct).

Please purchase your animals wisely and avoid getting animals that come from wild populations, particularly from countries that have little to no protections in place for wildlife and/or few regulatory capabilities to actually enforce the protections in place. Many African, Asian, and Indonesian countries fall into this category. The pet trade in captive bred animals is for the large part a responsible and respectable process. The thoughtless importation and impulse buying of imported animals from unmonitored wild populations is probably not.

It was the same type of scenario in the Pet Bird trade in the 70's and 80's.

Amen. I will probably never again obtain a wild caught python of any kind. I thank this industry for that.

I agree wholeheartedly and share the frustration at the lack of info out there.

Sadly, as long as it's profitable, there will be those who continue to sell these animals.

I am an importer and I agree on some points of what this is saying. Why anyone wants gravid female ball pythons from the wild is beyond me they only lay a small clutch of eggs and the work it takes to hatch them isn't easy and the strain on the females is hard. I personally don't bother with ball pythons that much. The last time I brang in farmed babies was about 2yrs ago and practicaly had to give them away because there are so many C.B in the U.S these days we really don't need to import them other then for new bloodlines. I do bring in retic python babies from indo but not in large lots last shipment had 4 on it and they were C.B in indo. I worked hard to find a good indo exporter that breeds alot of stock so I'm not taking from the wild as much. I love animals more then I do money and I do this more for the opportunity to meet people and share knowledge with others and learn from others and most of all owning some beautiful animals. I think alot of U.S importers are getting away from importing big groups of ball pythons because there easly obtained right here in the U.S. And its more the Asian market thats big on doing large imports these days as are market has taken some large steps in the wrong direction do to economic reasons. But if you research quota from each country you will see China & thailand are were most of the quota goes. Well hopefully people understand not all importing is bad and there is alot of good from importing. We wouldn't have the pets we have today if it wasn't for importers!! Something to think of. But some species are more sensative then others and importers should take that into consideration as well.