WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT:Pythons yield hides for specialty items

It's a shame they allow this to be shown.


The head of a 7 foot Burmese Python lies on the table after it was removed from the reptiles body by Josh Zarmarti, owner of JZ Exoctics and Supplies, and Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator. Zarmati captured the animal as part of the open season hunting on the invasive species and then brought two of the reptiles to All American Gator in Hallandale Beach for processing.

All American Gator worker Daniel Darrientos processes the body of a 7 foot Burmese Python after it was dispatched by Josh Zarmarti, owner of JZ Exoctics and Supplies, and Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator.

The head of a 7 foot Burmese Python is held after it was removed from the reptiles body by Josh Zarmarti, owner of JZ Exoctics and Supplies, and Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator.

Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator shows of some of the products, like a jacket, that can be made out of snake skin at his retail store in Hollywood.. Wood is buying the pythons that hunters are capturing during the open season hunting on the invasive species.

Josh Zarmarti, owner of JZ Exoctics and Supplies, holds a 7 foot Burmese python that he captured as part of the open season hunting on the invasive species. Zarmati brought two of the reptiles to All American Gator in Hallandale Beach for processing.

Josh Zarmarti, owner of JZ Exoctics and Supplies, holds a 7 foot Burmese python that he captured as part of the open season hunting on the invasive species.

A 7 foot Burmese Python reacts to Josh Zarmarti, owner of JZ Exoctics and Supplies, that he captured as part of the open season hunting on the invasive species.

Josh Zarmati, left, and Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator, prepare to dispatch a 7-foot Burmese python that Zarmati captured. (Josh Ritchie, Sun Sentinel / March 11, 2010)


HERE IS THE LINK

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/pal...1.photogallery

This is different from processing any other animal how? Why wouldn't they show it? What's wrong with showing animals being processed for food or hides? I think people are WAY too divorced from where their food and other animal-derived products come from these days. THAT'S the real shame.

These animals do not look like they're being badly treated prior to their death. In fact, they're being treated extraordinarily well for animals destined to be dispatched for their hides, and we should be glad that they're being handled so humanely.

They have to go, and if this is how it's being done, well, I can't say I would buy the jacket--it's tacky--but if I saw something I did like, I wouldn't hesitate to buy something made from snake skin from an Everglades Burm. It's much better than buying any snake skin product imported from their native country.

I think the biggest problem is inconsistency. Because it's a reptile, no one cares how it's treated. And yet, there are lots of instances where people dispatched or otherwise harassed nuisance feral cats, and they're charged with animal abuse.

I believe it's a shame because it's the head of an animal we love and keep. I would have had the same reaction if I kept cows or chickens and I saw a decapitated head. Has absolutely nothing to do with being, "divorced," from where our food comes from. I know exactly where our meat comes from but that doesn't mean that I want to see it. That's the point in paying someone else to do it - I do not have to be there.

Other than the health risk to the reptiles, that's the same reason I went to feeding frozen/thawed - I understand death's a part of the natural circle of life but that doesn't mean I want to be involved with it.

How, exactly, can you deduce that they are being treated humanely? We have no idea how they are being treated if all we have are those pictures. I am not saying one way or the other but I, personally, wouldn't be able to give a solid opinion based off of those pictures. I am not an expert in cutting heads off but the cut on that Burm's neck doesn't look like it was done in a chopping motion - looks more like a knife cut through the neck and the fact that the only cutting utensil anywhere around that animal doesn't help. Cutting the head off of an animal with a knife is not humane.

They said he chopped the head off with a cleaver.. nothing about a knife being used. The knife would be a filet type to skin with. I'm surprised they didn't have a skinning knife instead. But then, I skinned fish filets with a filet knife.. maybe it just works better?

He did "smash" the head afterwards to make sure the head was dead. The odd thing to me is that the hunter brought the snake in alive at all. He's supposed to be one of the special hunters allowed to hunt snakes. Not just a hunter in general who caught a snake. Maybe that's why he brought the snake in alive? The specially permitted hunters with snake experiance are perhaps allowed to remove burmese from the Everglades alive.

The only sad part to me is that they did not properly pith the head when they killed it. Killing the snake to use the hide isn't any more repulsive than killing a goat to eat it. I understand we keep these animals as pets.. but people keep pet goats and cows and chickens too.

I do get the point that in general the media would hesitate to show a goat's head in a butcher shop.. especailly if they were saying the goat's head was still twitching and moving or such. It's just proof that people don't consider reptiles to be really worthy animals.

1 pic missing. they chopped its head off with an AXE.

I have to agree with Donna. For example Ive had to explain the "farming" of alligators to my daughter (whos and avid reptile enthusiest..God love her). My problem lies with harvesting species that are either endangered or killing for sport or out of fear. For me so long as the killing of an animal serves a real purpose (so long as its not endangered) I dont necessarily have a problem with it. And so long as the the animal is treated with respect all the way through death. People eat meat. People use the skins. Thats reality. I liken it to the native Americans who would make sure they would use every bit of a deer or buffalo with no waste out of respect of the animal.

man they wasted a bit of the hide there by chopping it like that. They really should've gassed it first. Then they could skin it whole from nose to tail. After it is tanned and stretched you could've added near a foot to the final product from where they chopped it at. I am glad they are putting use to them in some niche market, but atleast get a better system to it.

Originally Posted by hoppingherps

man they wasted a bit of the hide there by chopping it like that. They really should've gassed it first. Then they could skin it whole from nose to tail. After it is tanned and stretched you could've added near a foot to the final product from where they chopped it at. I am glad they are putting use to them in some niche market, but atleast get a better system to it.

Except that gassing a reptile is not considered humane either....

I am sure we can all assume that these pictures were taken of them killing it this way for a reason. It would be very inefficient to kill them that way, its all for the pictures. I am sure they are going to use the cheapest, quickest way to kill them and hopefully it is humane.