Heres the massive 13ft Burmese that was seized at Bondi several weeks ago. Reported to be 100kg, it was weighed at Taronga and found to be 35kg's(77lbs)
It would be bloody criminal to destroy a snake like that using the ridiculous reason that it might harbour all sorts of nasty diseases. It's too nice to kill.
Taronga had it for a while. They were just holding it.
Just saying that the ARP are not just keeping it for the quarantine period so it can be released to another park. Not every Park has an approved quarantine facility.
That looks like a great looking python. Is it my imagination, or is it wanting to bite the hand of the person holding it in the first pic?? Is that you BOB?
Angel, no thats not my hand. Thats John Weigel. I am the brave person behind the camera. If you could hear that snake hiss, I doubt wether any sane person would get that close to the head. Even John appeared a bit nervous having his hand that close. Who in their right mind would want that snake hanging onto them. :shock:
He seems very quiet in the photo's, Burmese pythons like a few of the other big ones are very noisy, Boas can be the same but make it quite clear when they look like biting.
..... "the owner"? Don't you mean "the irresponsible dork that had it illegally"?
It is rumoured that NSW DEC is considering placing a condition on all reptile keeper licences to the effect that if any exotic snake (not just boids) is found on the premises of a private licensed keeper, the whole collection of exotics and natives will be seized and destroyed as a precaution against the spread of exotic diseases.
But there are numerous exotics kept legally (and illegally) in NSW already, don't the legal animals pose a threat ? We don't know the origin of the animals declared in the amnesty so why aren't they being destroyed along with the legally kept native animals kept at the same premises ? Are there any restrictions on trading legal native reptiles from people who have legal exotics ? If not the diseases have already been spread right around the country.
It just seems to be another knee jerk reaction to the preceived problem.