Federal Register: Update to Lacey Act regarding Pythons, Boas, and Eunectes

The Ringneck Pheasant does not have a large impact on native prairie fowl, especially in northern states. The pheasant does not do well in the severe winters of the northern US, hence why pheasant farms are necessary to propagate a huntable population.

But I digress.

I am pursuing my PhD at the University of Georgia. I work with wildlife biologists who do research in the Everglades and in the Keys. Let me assure you that Burmese Pythons in particular are having a profound impact on the native wildlife in the subtropical regions of Florida.

I was recently chatting with another graduate student studying a highly endangered small mammal species, the Key Largo Woodrat (list of imperiled, endangered, and threatened FL species . The population for this species is less than 2000 animals. Burmese Pythons were recently introduced to this island, and this graduate student has killed 4 pythons, each of which had individuals of this endangered mammal in its gut. One snake had two! This graduate student sincerely believes that the species he is studying will be extinct well within the next decade primarily due to the introduction of this snake.

Here is a recent article (2006) that updates the list of invasive reptile species in Florida. It is important to note that Nile Monitor is now established, which does not bode well for any native fauna.

Here is the status of 48 reptile species from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Red-tailed Boas are suspected to have an impact on birds and small mammals, but any kind of direct population study is difficult in such remote habitat like the Everglades. Burmese Pythons are now breeding and their population is increasing.

Additional publications in scientific and nonscientific literature will undoubtedly be written in the next few years as the impacts of these snakes are more understood. Being a wildlife biologist myself, I sincerely believe that steps do need to be taken in Florida and other southern states that can host these species. This is not a divide and conquer routine, this is common sense. Invasive species are a huge problem in the New World and elsewhere. Chinese privet, kudzu, European Starlings, Burmese Pythons, Fire Ants, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Beech Scale Insect, Gypsy Moth... the list goes on and on. We honestly need to take steps to protect our native wildlife. I'm just not convinced that this particular legislation is the right step, since potentially limiting the nationwide ownership of these three huge genera is unreasonable.

Sorry, here's the link of the population status of 48 invasive reptile species in Florida:

http://myfwc.com/nonnatives/exotics/...asp?taxclass=R

i personally have no problem with CONTROLLING who can or can't purchase certain animals. reptile ownership is up 41% since 2000, the biggest increase among pets, but that doesn't mean the knowledge to keep burms, retics, GTP, etc, is up too. MOST people are the same as the average cat or dog owner, and what happens when irresponsible humans get a pet? they don't care for it properly and it dies or gets away, that's why there are a quarter of a million wild dogs and 7 million feral cats in the USA at any given moment. they are REAL problems. in a year, a wild dog or cat will eat much more than a large boid. the problem in florida is exaggerated as far as damage to the environment goes. the key largo woodrat was down to 2000 living animals because of many other factors, mostly loss of habitat and the introduction of thousands of wild cats thanks to humans. just because a few have turned up in the stomachs of burmese pythons doesn't mean they're the reason the animal is almost extinct, it just means that the snakes are doing what snakes do best, control the vermin population.

people need to stop believing that WE aren't the main problem with the environment. you can't build on every square inch of land and not expect change to happen. yeah, the snakes aren't native and neither are a lot of other reptiles, but they're hardy, there is PLENTY OF FOOD TO SUSTAIN THEM and laws weren't already in place to keep unqualified people from getting certain animals.

control is the answer, not blanket bans.

that's why we have drivers licenses and not a "no driving" law.

that's why we have gun licenses and not a "no gun" law.

that's why MANY other aspects of life are regulated with thought out plans that took MULTIPLE DAYS to devise.

the bottom line is that the average joe doesn't care about snakes and lizards and never will because it's always been OK in the USA to hate certain elements of life. this is one tiny battle. the war will rage for decades to come. we DO need control, but NOT a ban on keeping reptiles as pets.

the venomous keepers have been dealing with this for ages and the whole time, they were begging for help from those who kept pythons and boas and the likes, but got very little in the way of assistance. this is the most divided hobby on earth. people either come together and show the importance of the hobby or they watch it die.

Richard,
While it is understood that the threatened/endangered creatures of the Everglades were so listed before the issue of large boids, I don't think anybody can seriously deny that the introduction (and now, self sustaining populations of) these new predators will have an impact. Nobody is blaming the current status of those animals on burmese pythons...but burms might get the blame if those animals become extinct.
The introduction of foreign species has been proven time and again to be detrimental to the ecosystem...particularly when those species are predators near the top of the food chain.

Living in a southern state ( GA ) and having lived in other southern states ( AL , MS ) It would be rare to see a population of either of those species survive much less reproduce in the area I live and least 50 miles south or more. We may have warmer winters than most other areas but we still get into the low 30s , high to mid 20s. We may not have that harsh of weather for extended periods ( 30 days or longer ) but it is long enough to have damaging effects on any loose tropical species.

Take other southern areas and look not only at the climates but the terrain as well. Southern Cali is is scrub and desert area with minimal humidity. The states adjoining differ slightly and the Texans would likely open a new hunting season.

I believe even the northern parts of Florida were hit with a few cold spells that would make it unlikely for either of those 3 species to get a foothold to create a population of any effect.

Invasive species can't be blamed completely on bad keepers. Add a few hurricanes to the mix and any animal kept can be expected to either die , become injured or be set free due the destructive forces. The percentage may be small but it can happen. Add to that hitch hikers in cargo shipped from other countries into Florida and the problem escalates. Unfortunately areas of Florida mimic natural habitats close enough for numerous species to get a foothold.

Its not going to be just businesses posting their revenue but hobbyists as well. To give them the big picture they need its going to be everyone kicking in. Unless any of the Fish & Wildlife folks keep , breed and sell , its unlikely that anyone in control of the proposal will fully understand the impact a blanket ban would be on interstate commerce right off the bat.

We may not be huge part of Fed Ex's overall profit margin but they will see the numbers fluctuate when 10,000 or so packages they used to charge for are no longer showing up.

well just look at florida. hundreds of exotic species are now PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM.

it's an ecosystem that the state sold out a LONG time ago. not far south of orlando, you have a few swamps and a house every few inches apart. that is what south florida is, a huge neighborhood built in a swamp. the glades is a remnant of what it once was.

look at the proximity of the neighborhoods to the swamps. a long time ago when they decided to put a building on nearly every square inch of soil, they did irreparable damage.

now, they're really just doing anything that may get them re-elected. the damage is done and the ecosystem is one of change. eradicating certain formerly exotic species may do more harm than good.

like here in alabama, they released 100 or so alligators near the huntsville area in the 70's to control the beaver population. they assumed they'd die during winter. well, a few did, but a whole lot are living in the rivers and swamps and have been reproducing ever since. to remove them all would probably allow the medium to large mammal population to grow into a new problem.

you can't undo things like this. you have to move on, learn, and adjust things.

WHAT'S DONE IS DONE,THERE IS NO WAY TO ERR ADICATE THEM,DEVELOPMENT & POLLUTION IS A BIGGER PROPLEM SO ARE THE PLANT SPECIES.

I think that many of you have strong opinions, and I have no pro or con against that, but I do think that you need to realize the potential severity and potential impact this information period has.

They ask for information. They then go through the aquired information and make a decision. This decision will be soley based on the outcome of this public information gathering. 90% of the repsonses obtained in these are from academia and field biologists. There will also be anti-exotic pet owners harping the exagerted potential for problems. So pleases take this seriously and approach it so. The bird people never though pet bird importation would be shut down or controlled THEY WERE WRONG, african rodent importers/owners never thought they would be shut down or controlled THEY WERE WRONG, spectecled caiman importers never thought they would be shut down THEY WERE WRONG. These are a FEW paltry examples.

Bottom line is yes, many python species are potentially dangerous animals, do more people get seriously injured and killed by dogs or cats or livestock YOU BETCHA....BUT people love dogs, cats, horses and cows.....MOST PEOPLE HATE SNAKES so it takes little provacation to arrouse hostility when a hapless keeper gets himself or someone else killed or injured. It takes little to gain the ire of an entire populous of a city when a little old lady loses fluffy to an escaped captive non-indigenous snake.

Write well thought out, accurately stated letters....quit fighting and bickering amongst ourselves....where is PJAC and other such organizations involvement....and keep the letters in line to the questions as much as possible, if you do not know the answer either state so or get some figures by calling local biologists for your state, county or region.

Divided, we lose in unison.