Everglades Snakes Banned: US Bans Snakes Plaguing Florida

The U.S. is banning the import of Burmese pythons and three other types of constrictor snakes due to the danger they pose to local wildlife.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar made the announcement yesterday as he visited Everglades National Park in Florida, saying the ban will take effect in approximately 60 days. The ban will make it illegal to import the snakes or transport them across state lines. In addition to the python, the new ban also applies to the yellow anaconda as well as the northern and southern African pythons.

In a prepared statement, Salazar said that the invasive snakes are a very real and immediate threat to the Everglades and other ecosystems in the U.S. He said the Burmese python is already making its presence known in the Everglades.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe says the pythons have already caused substantial harm in Florida. He said that the new ban will help avoid further harm from these large constrictor snakes to native wildlife.

Authorities added that people who own these reptiles as pets will be allowed to keep them if state law allows.

Five other nonnative species of snakes remain under consideration for listing as injurious. They include the reticulated python, boa constrictor, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda and Beni anaconda.

It is estimated that the Everglades is now home to thousands of Burmese pythons, which have preyed on everything from small mammals to large wading birds. The pythons are native to Southeast Asia.

Related articles

• U.S. clamps ban on pythons, yellow anaconda (reuters.com)
• Interior Secretary Announces Python Ban (miami.cbslocal.com)