longqi
Very Well-Known Member
Date: January 17, 2012
Contact: Adam Fetcher (DOI) 202-208-6416
Valerie Fellows (FWS) 703-358 2285
Salazar Announces Ban on Importation and Interstate Transportation of Four
Giant Snakes that Threaten Everglades
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a rule
that would ban the importation and interstate transportation of four
nonnative constrictor snakes that threaten the Everglades and other
sensitive ecosystems across the United States, Secretary of the Interior
Ken Salazar announced today.
The final rule – which incorporates public comments, economic analysis,
and environmental assessment – lists the Burmese python, the yellow
anaconda, and the northern and southern African pythons as injurious
wildlife under the Lacey Act in order to restrict their spread in the wild
in the United States. It is expected to publish in the Federal Register in
the coming days.
“Thanks to the work of our scientists, Senator Bill Nelson, and others,
there is a large and growing understanding of the real and immediate
threat that the Burmese python and other invasive snakes pose to the
Everglades and other ecosystems in the United States,” Salazar said. “The
Burmese python has already gained a foothold in the Florida Everglades,
and we must do all we can to battle its spread and to prevent further
human contributions of invasive snakes that cause economic and
environmental damage.”
The four species were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey as having a
high risk of establishing populations and spreading to other geographic
areas in that agency’s 2009 report, Giant Constrictors: Biological and
Management Profiles and an Establishment Risk Assessment for Large Species
of Pythons, Anacondas, and the Boa Constrictor.
Sixty days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register,
interstate transport and importation of live individuals, gametes, viable
eggs, or hybrids of the Burmese python, northern and southern African
pythons and yellow anaconda into the United States will be prohibited.
None of these species is native to the United States.
“Burmese pythons have already caused substantial harm in Florida,” said
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “By taking this action
today, we will help prevent further harm from these large constrictor
snakes to native wildlife, especially in habitats that can support
constrictor snake populations across the southern United States and in
U.S. territories.”
Ashe said the Service will continue to consider listing as injurious the
five other species of nonnative snakes that the agency also proposed in
2010 – the reticulated python, boa constrictor, DeSchauensee’s anaconda,
green anaconda and Beni anaconda.
Most people who own any of these four species will not be affected. Those
who own any of these four species of snakes will be allowed to keep them
if allowed by state law. However, they cannot take, send, or sell them
across state lines. Those who wish to export these species may do so from
a designated port within their state after acquiring appropriate permits
from the Service.
The Burmese python has established breeding populations in South Florida,
including the Everglades, that have caused significant damage to wildlife
and that continue to pose a great risk to many native species, including
threatened and endangered species. Burmese pythons on North Key Largo have
killed and eaten highly endangered Key Largo wood rats, and other pythons
preyed on endangered wood storks.
In the Everglades alone, state and federal agencies have spent millions of
dollars addressing threats posed by pythons – an amount far less than is
needed to combat their spread. If these species spread to other areas,
state and federal agencies in these areas could be forced to spend more
money for control and containment purposes.
Interior and its partners, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC), South Florida Water Management District,
and others are committed to controlling the spread of Burmese pythons and
other large nonnative constrictors. For example, FWC recently implemented
the use of a “snake sniffing” dog to help in its efforts to find and
eradicate large constrictor snakes. This dog was present at the
Secretary’s announcement today, along with a 13-foot-long Burmese python.
Under the injurious wildlife provisions of the Lacey Act, the Department
of the Interior is authorized to regulate the importation and interstate
transport of wildlife species determined to be injurious to humans, the
interests of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife or the
wildlife resources of the United States.
For more information on injurious wildlife and efforts to list the four
species of snakes as injurious under the Lacey Act, please visit:
http://www.fws.gov/invasives/news.html.
###
Contact: Adam Fetcher (DOI) 202-208-6416
Valerie Fellows (FWS) 703-358 2285
Salazar Announces Ban on Importation and Interstate Transportation of Four
Giant Snakes that Threaten Everglades
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a rule
that would ban the importation and interstate transportation of four
nonnative constrictor snakes that threaten the Everglades and other
sensitive ecosystems across the United States, Secretary of the Interior
Ken Salazar announced today.
The final rule – which incorporates public comments, economic analysis,
and environmental assessment – lists the Burmese python, the yellow
anaconda, and the northern and southern African pythons as injurious
wildlife under the Lacey Act in order to restrict their spread in the wild
in the United States. It is expected to publish in the Federal Register in
the coming days.
“Thanks to the work of our scientists, Senator Bill Nelson, and others,
there is a large and growing understanding of the real and immediate
threat that the Burmese python and other invasive snakes pose to the
Everglades and other ecosystems in the United States,” Salazar said. “The
Burmese python has already gained a foothold in the Florida Everglades,
and we must do all we can to battle its spread and to prevent further
human contributions of invasive snakes that cause economic and
environmental damage.”
The four species were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey as having a
high risk of establishing populations and spreading to other geographic
areas in that agency’s 2009 report, Giant Constrictors: Biological and
Management Profiles and an Establishment Risk Assessment for Large Species
of Pythons, Anacondas, and the Boa Constrictor.
Sixty days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register,
interstate transport and importation of live individuals, gametes, viable
eggs, or hybrids of the Burmese python, northern and southern African
pythons and yellow anaconda into the United States will be prohibited.
None of these species is native to the United States.
“Burmese pythons have already caused substantial harm in Florida,” said
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “By taking this action
today, we will help prevent further harm from these large constrictor
snakes to native wildlife, especially in habitats that can support
constrictor snake populations across the southern United States and in
U.S. territories.”
Ashe said the Service will continue to consider listing as injurious the
five other species of nonnative snakes that the agency also proposed in
2010 – the reticulated python, boa constrictor, DeSchauensee’s anaconda,
green anaconda and Beni anaconda.
Most people who own any of these four species will not be affected. Those
who own any of these four species of snakes will be allowed to keep them
if allowed by state law. However, they cannot take, send, or sell them
across state lines. Those who wish to export these species may do so from
a designated port within their state after acquiring appropriate permits
from the Service.
The Burmese python has established breeding populations in South Florida,
including the Everglades, that have caused significant damage to wildlife
and that continue to pose a great risk to many native species, including
threatened and endangered species. Burmese pythons on North Key Largo have
killed and eaten highly endangered Key Largo wood rats, and other pythons
preyed on endangered wood storks.
In the Everglades alone, state and federal agencies have spent millions of
dollars addressing threats posed by pythons – an amount far less than is
needed to combat their spread. If these species spread to other areas,
state and federal agencies in these areas could be forced to spend more
money for control and containment purposes.
Interior and its partners, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC), South Florida Water Management District,
and others are committed to controlling the spread of Burmese pythons and
other large nonnative constrictors. For example, FWC recently implemented
the use of a “snake sniffing” dog to help in its efforts to find and
eradicate large constrictor snakes. This dog was present at the
Secretary’s announcement today, along with a 13-foot-long Burmese python.
Under the injurious wildlife provisions of the Lacey Act, the Department
of the Interior is authorized to regulate the importation and interstate
transport of wildlife species determined to be injurious to humans, the
interests of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife or the
wildlife resources of the United States.
For more information on injurious wildlife and efforts to list the four
species of snakes as injurious under the Lacey Act, please visit:
http://www.fws.gov/invasives/news.html.
###
