Status of the Woma python in the wild !

[NCHERPS]

I Love Woma pythons and was shocked to see this info regarding their status:

In 1996 the Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group done an assessment of Woma pythons left in the wild.
They found that they fell into this catagory:


It fell into this criteria 1c :

1) An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected reduction of at least 50% over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, based on (and specifying) any of the following:
A taxon is Endangered when it is not Critically Endangered but is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, as defined by any of the following criteria (A to E):
c) a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat .

This study was done in 1996, so I am wondering what has happened to there population since then? Anyone seen one in the wild recently? Seen many ?

What do you guys think? Is there a real threat to this species, or do you think things have improved in the last 7 years?

Thanks again in advance for your comments and input.

NCHERPS

[Brodie]

Hey,
This is the only bit about it I know. I was talking to a bloke last week who had he's take/interfere permits knocked back for the collection of Tanami form woma's. He was told this is because they may be put on the 'threatened list', a scientist went down there a while ago and found only very few live womas over a long period of time, but quite a few dead ones, mainly on the road. But I have also heard people talking about them finding 5 live ones in 2 nights, so I dont what's going on there.......... :roll:

[NoOne]

Poaching would have alot to do with the decline in numbers. They fetch such a high price anywhere in the world which makes them a big target.
I don't think anyone should be aloud to take womas from the wild nobody benefits from it except the person doing the catching.

[Magpie]

South Western Woma's are considered to be possibly extinct. There is also none in captivity that I know of.

[NoOne]

I know a breeder who has them, they are the only womas he breeds as far as i know. He's part of a breeding program with adelaide zoo.
I was going to by a 2yr old pair off him a while back but they are not as colorful as NT womas.
It' sad to see another species on the road to extinction in the wild at the hand of man.

[Brodie]

It would be a shame to see these guys become extinct in the wild. Not that many of us get the chance to go see them, but it's still nice to know that they are there IMO.

[NoOne]

As long as people are breeding them in captivity they will have a semi secure future.

[NCHERPS]

Thanks again guys for your input.

I think it seems as though the Woma's are a species that may well need to have it's status looked at, particularly on Cites, as it is only listed as appendix II, and should maybe be considered in the near future for Appendix I.

I think I will try to look into the Woma's a bit more and try to get some zoo opinions on the subject. Maybe it's one for Mark O'shea or Steve Irwin to take a look at and try to find out just how uncommon they now are in the wild.

It's great to hear that there are some of you on here Keeping/breeding Woma's, the more cb the less of what is left will be taken from the wild.

I know that animals taken from the wild seems to be an issue out here, and it has been discussed in other treads.

It has been looked into in birds, parrots and alike in the UK, and they are coming up with tests that can be done to determine if an animal is WC or CB, even captive hatched animals can be told apart, not too sure how it is done, other than blood samples are taken and analysised, but maybe in the future it will be possible to do similar tests on reptiles.

It wouldn't cut done on the habitat loss and other factors involved in reptiles becoming Endangered, but at least it would put pressure on those that go into the bush and collect wild caught and sometimes gravid snakes/lizards, maybe it will make them think twice ! Maybe !

I will let you know if I find out anymore regarding Woma's.

Cheers,

NCHERPS

[CHEWY]

This is truely alarming news to me. Although I prefer Elapids, when it comes to boids, I love Aspidites and my BHP's are great. Womas are definately my next purchase and it would be a great shame for anything to happen to these wonderful creatures, and be real bad if anything was done to make it harder for me to aquire them