The Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced this week that the Burmese python and three other species of snakes will be listed as “injurious” under the federal Lacey Act. This action makes it illegal to import or sell these species across state lines.
Audubon Florida has been urging this action for almost five years as part of a larger control and eradication strategy to reduce the harmful impact of these species. In the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Burmese pythons are already well established and pose a significant threat to native, imperiled species. Monitoring has shown that state and federally threatened and endangered species, including the Wood Stork and Key Largo woodrat, are already being predated by these large constrictors. Because these predatory snakes are cryptic, highly-productive, and can take advantage of difficult-to-access aquatic habitats, eradication is very difficult.
The ban also stops imports and interstate commerce in yellow anaconda and the northern and southern African pythons. Audubon Florida continues to advocate for the listing of boa constrictors, reticulated pythons, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, and other invasive species that harm the Everglades.
Audubon Florida commends the Department of Interior and Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Congressman Tom Rooney (R-Tequesta), Congressman David Rivera (R-Miami) and other members of Florida’s Congressional delegation who were proponents for this listing. See Congressman Rivera's Press Release on this issue in English o en Español.