Snake Skin (Leather) Availability?

[markannab]

Hi all

A friend just visited and asked if it's possible in any way to obtain the skin (i.e. hide/leather - not shed skin) of an Australian python for a friend overseas.

Before thinking about export/import issues (he can sort that out), does anyone know if it's even possible to obtain such a thing considering all snakes are protected? I can only think of skins from natural deaths, etc. I can't really see any way with this. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

no

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Illegal to export any protected Australian fauna or part thereof, dead or alive.

Jamie

 

[phatty]

ring your local department they will tell you there is a guy up here who does taxidermy i think it involves reptiles as well but i don't sure if it is on a licence tho i guess people do it with crocs so why not snakes ???

 

[longqi]

It was possible a few years ago to get permission to keep snake remains so long as you could could prove it was your snake and had died of natural causes
Took a full autopsy and a huge amount of paper work

Regarding the legal export that would be a totally different ball game
All pythons are cites listed
appendix 11, which means that if there is a legal quota and that quota has not been met yet
then that particular skin can be legally exported from that country
But there is no legal quota for python skins from Australia
So that would definitely make exporting them illegal

 

[phatty]

are crocs protected or prohibited

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Crocs come from licenced farms and are bred to be killed, and their parts, mostly skins, exported as part of the commercialisation of crocodiles. You will not get approval to export any part of a dead Australian snake because no commercial trade in snake parts exists in Australia. A taxidermist can only prepare animals which were legally held when alive, by the person who wants it stuffed, and it can only be prepared for that client. It cannot be sold to anyone else for any reason.

Jamie

 

[Tristan]

if my Pet passes away am i able to get it tuned in to a belt?

 

[markannab]

Thanks to all, especially Longqui for your detailed response.

Mark.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Re-reading my post... actually crocs aren't bred to be killed, their eggs are collected from the wild and hatched by the croc farms to be raised and killed for the skins and meat, all subject to very strict licensing conditions.

Just a clarification.

Jamie