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Source: ABC NEWS
Police have seized twelve snakes they allege were about to be smuggled out of Western Australia.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) says the snakes were found inside cloth bags in a vehicle stopped on the Eyre Highway near Eucla.
The 27-year-old male driver of the vehicle, from New South Wales, will be summonsed to appear in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on charges related to the export of fauna without a licence.
DEC investigator Rick Dawson says wildlife smuggling is an ongoing problem and some pythons fetch up to $1,500 on the black market.
"We take the unlawful possession of protected reptiles and reptile trafficking very seriously," he said.
"Unfortunately it is unlikely that these pythons can be released back into the wild due to the risk of introducing disease to wild populations, but we will ensure they are well looked after."
The seizure included six Children's pythons, four Stimson's pythons, an Olive python and a black-headed python.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/05/2508339.htm
Source: ABC NEWS
Police have seized twelve snakes they allege were about to be smuggled out of Western Australia.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) says the snakes were found inside cloth bags in a vehicle stopped on the Eyre Highway near Eucla.
The 27-year-old male driver of the vehicle, from New South Wales, will be summonsed to appear in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on charges related to the export of fauna without a licence.
DEC investigator Rick Dawson says wildlife smuggling is an ongoing problem and some pythons fetch up to $1,500 on the black market.
"We take the unlawful possession of protected reptiles and reptile trafficking very seriously," he said.
"Unfortunately it is unlikely that these pythons can be released back into the wild due to the risk of introducing disease to wild populations, but we will ensure they are well looked after."
The seizure included six Children's pythons, four Stimson's pythons, an Olive python and a black-headed python.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/05/2508339.htm
