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Python Bill - HR2811 Wow, it has been one crazy week! Last Friday night, after close of business here on the east coast, I received a call from our lobbyists saying that their sources indicated that HR2811 (python ban) was on the move. Now in case you are not familiar with what is going on in Washington right now, HR2811 is a bill sponsored by Congressman Kendrick Meek of Florida that would ban the entire Python genus. Actually, it was so unclear the way it was written that it could be interpreted to include ALL pythons. So, our lobbyists tell me that the bill is going to move through the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday. I’m thinking, “Wow, that is really fast. We are going to have to do something in a hurry to have any influence on this.” The fact that this bill was ready to move so quickly created a very dangerous situation for the Reptile Nation. We had to get the word out fast! I put the word out to the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) Board of Directors and the wheels began to turn. We sent out an email blast on Saturday through the usark.org website to thousands of the Reptile Nation. We asked for a Congressional call-in day on Monday, July 27, to oppose HR2811. Our directors got on the phone and started stirring up interest. I went on Reptile Radio on Saturday night with Larry and BT and made the pitch for the call and fax campaign. On Sunday the “buzz” about the call-in day went viral through the Reptile Nation. It was all over the Internet and social networking sites. Emails throughout the community pushed the call-in day forward. Monday the calls began to roll-in to the bill sponsors and the committee members. Our lobbyist contacted the sponsor’s staff to inform them of the damage this bill would do to the reptile community if passed as written. They indicated that they were willing to hear our case and consider an amendment. USARK urged that the call-in be extended through Tuesday. Tuesday there was a conference call to discuss a possible amendment to HR2811. In attendance was the committee staff, sponsor’s staff, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and USARK. HSUS pushed for all pythons to be included. When it became obvious there was going to be an amendment, HSUS pushed for the African rock python and reticulated python to be on the bill. They said that the reticulated python was already invasive and would surpass the Burmese python if not included. I pointed out that HSUS could not give any credible evidence to support their claims or requests. I included that there is an ongoing scientific process at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to determine which species are invasive and which are not, and that they were trying to circumvent this scientific evaluation. Following the meeting committee staff informed USARK that there would be an amendment to the bill and that they were committed to working with us to create language for another amendment allowing the captive-bred trade of these animals to continue. On Wednesday, Congressman Tom Rooney of Florida introduced an amendment to include only the Burmese python and African rock python. Committee staff renewed their commitment to work with USARK through the August recess to hammer out language for an amendment prior to a vote on the House Floor allowing the captive-bred trade of these snakes to continue. USARK is dedicated to making sure all the Burmese and African rock python breeders will be able to continue to operate their businesses. We will work hard to preserve your place as a legal business concern within the Reptile Nation family. HR2811 had bipartisan support and flew through the subcommittee and full committee, even with hundreds of calls and faxes opposing it. Fortunately, USARK was able to convince committee staff and the sponsors that this bill that it would be incredibly damaging to an entire sector of the economy if it was not amended. To their credit, they listened. They had not heard our side of this issue before. It seemed to them a very simple bill. We illustrated our concerns and they understood it was not necessary to destroy the reptile industry over this issue. They did not have to listen. The votes were overwhelmingly there to pass HR2811 intact. This is a real victory for the Reptile Nation! This whole situation could easily have led to the end of the reptile community as we know it. Thanks to the hard work of the Reptile Nation we have turned a bad situation good. Animal rights organizations can no longer slander us at will. Washington now wants to know where we stand on these issues. We are working hard to make sure they understand the realities behind what we do, not the fairy tales being bandied about as if they are fact. We now have a voice... the voice of the Reptile Nation! You are now being heard loud and clear. Thank you for all the support! Andrew Wyatt is the President of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) and has been an avid herp enthusiast for more than 35 years. He has traveled the world and has had his animals featured in a number of television productions. For more information about USARK. Source: http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-blog/reptile-nation/hr2811-python-bill.aspx

Fugitive pythons terrorise Florida Burmese snakes that escaped from pet shop 17 years ago threaten Everglades' unique eco-system The alligators of the Florida Everglades are struggling to hang on to their status atop the famous swamp's food chain because of an invasion of Burmese pythons that first escaped from local pet shops 17 years ago. The enormous snakes have thrived in the vast, humid national park and now number more than 100,000, severely threatening its unique eco-system, according to scientists who want to organise a massive python hunt there this winter. "They are threatening endangered wildlife there and Lord forbid a visitor in the Everglades ever encounters one," said Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat, in a letter to Barack Obama's Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar. "There's only one way to [stop] this: kill the snakes." ast week, a 17ft python broke out of its tank at a home in Orlando, and strangled a two-year-old child sleeping in her cot. Other specimens, who have escaped from homes, have been blamed for denting the population of wading birds, raccoons, and even deer. Mr Nelson recently introduced a bill to ban imports of the creatures, describing it as "a matter of time" before a tourist is killed by one. "They have become such a problem in the park, you could spend the next 10 years setting traps," said his spokesman. Dozens of the creatures, whose natural habitat is the tropical jungles and swamps of Burma, first escaped from pet shops during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Their breeding population has since been supplemented by escapees from private homes. Mr Salazar, the US government's top wildlife official, now supports population control, despite stiff lobbying from the animal rights organisation Peta, which claimed yesterday that the alien invaders "ended up in Florida through no fault of their own". Confusion now reigns over how to actually go about killing 100,000 large and potentially deadly snakes. The animals are tough to find during the summer, but frequently emerge in winter months to sun themselves in open areas, where they could be stalked by licensed hunters. Other options include trapping and shooting. One expert hunter, Tom Rahill, told the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel that he stalks the big snakes at night, wearing animal-handling gloves and snake-proof boots. His preferred method of capture involves using a pole with a loop at the end, to seize the snake by the head. "It explodes with activity and generally wraps around the catch pole," he said. "You take a catch bag, like a laundry bag, and wrestle the bag around the snake and close the bag. It's amazing the power these snakes have. I grabbed one and it dragged me into the water." Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/fugitive-pythons-terrorise-florida-1748288.html Traduction: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk%2Fenvironment%2Fnature%2Ffugitive-pythons-terrorise-florida-1748288.html

Article de 2007.. Florida's rangers battle invasion of the giant pythons The Everglades stretch for hundreds of swampy miles across south Florida, home to hordes of snakes, alligators and assorted creepy-crawlies. But now an invasion by deadly giant pythons is threatening the eco-system of the famous park. The pythons, thought to have been released into the wild by careless pet owners, are no ordinary snakes. They are Burmese pythons, native to South Asia, which can grow 6m long, weigh 100kg and live for 20 years or more. The pythons have established breeding pairs in the swamps and are racing to the top of the food chain, even ousting alligators that were the Everglades' top predator. Two years ago a photographer snapped a picture that appeared to show a python so big it had eaten an alligator whole. 'It is a very serious issue, especially as we have found breeding pairs and clutches of eggs. That means they have adapted to living here and they are having a big impact,' said Linda Friar, an official at Everglades National Park. The snakes are a serious threat to indigenous wildlife due to their big appetites. The stomach contents of every python caught by rangers usually reveals a feast of rare birds and small mammals. Sometimes it also shows that the snakes have been snacking on household pets. The park has embarked on a major effort to curb the snakes' numbers, but total eradication would be difficult. 'We think we can slow down their rate of increase,' said Friar. At the moment there are an estimated 350 pythons in the park, but many more in the swamps outside. Rangers estimate that, for every python they spot, 10 lie hidden in the marshes. Park rangers, in their efforts to catch the elusive snakes, have a specially trained sniffer dog - nicknamed 'Python Pete'. They have also used so-called 'Judas animals' by tagging female pythons with electronic signalling devices. The females then lead rangers to populations of male pythons, which the rangers can kill. Although some of the snakes may have escaped into the wild in the aftermath of the hurricanes that regularly damage large swaths of Florida, most are thought to be simply released by owners who did not bargain on their baby pythons growing to be quite so big. As a result, Florida is now embarking on a legal crackdown on its citizens owning exotic snakes. A new law will force owners of pythons and other snakes such as anacondas to get a special licence and insert an identifying microchip under the snake's skin. Inspectors will visit owners' houses to ensure they are suitable for a snake throughout its life. 'They will take the Everglades over if we don't do something about it,' said Bill Posey, the state senator who sponsored the new legislation. A whole host of other exotic pets have escaped into the Florida wilderness, such as feral goats, iguanas, walking catfish and coyotes. However, the biggest menaces from so-called 'invasive species' do not have four legs or slither: plants from suburban gardens are busy supplanting native species. An estimated two million acres of the swamp are now covered by invading plants. 'They don't create quite the same headlines as pythons, but plants are the invaders who actually make up the biggest threat,' said Friar. Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/29/usa.paulharris Traduction: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guardian.co.uk%2Fworld%2F2007%2Fjul%2F29%2Fusa.paulharris

Snakes on the glades – Florida launches mass python hunt Death of Shaiunna Hare, two, sparks state to license trappers to hunt up to 100,000 pythons on the loose owing to exotic pet fad The death of a Florida toddler in the coils of an 8ft (2.5 metre) Burmese python has sparked an official crackdown to eradicate a menacing population of slithering predators in the sun-drenched holiday state. A small band of newly licensed trappers hit the trail this week of pythons living in the swampy wetlands of southern Florida. Experts believe that as many as 100,000 of the reptiles are loose in the region, in an unfortunate outcome of a fad for keeping exotic pets. Earlier this month, a two-year-old girl, Shaiunna Hare, was strangled to death in her bedroom near Orlando by a python belonging to her mother's boyfriend. The snake had escaped its glass cage during the night and wrapped itself around the child's crib. The tragedy galvanised Florida's politicians into action over mounting alarm about the danger posed by pythons, which grow as long as 8 metres, weigh up to 89kg (14 stone) and can eat animals as big as deer. "It's just a matter of time before one of these snakes gets to a visitor in the Florida Everglades," said Bill Nelson, a Democratic senator from the state. Native to Africa and south-east Asia, pythons are interlopers to Florida and face no predator to keep them in check. Florida locals blame a booming wild population on irresponsible pet owners who release pythons into the wild when they become unmanageably large. Others trace the problem back to hurricane Andrew which destroyed pet shops, hatcheries and zoos as it swept across the Floridian peninsula in 1992. Wildlife experts fear that if left unchecked, the snakes will decimate the population of smaller mammals, birds and reptiles. Florida's governor, Charlie Crist, last week licensed an initial group of fewer than 10 python hunters to begin trapping the snakes. Pursued by a pack of photographers, the hunters snared a 3-metre long python during their first foray on Friday. "[Pythons] don't make a lot of noise, when they're agitated, they may hiss," said Shawn Heflick, a licensed hunter. "They can hold on pretty tight but they're well camouflaged and when they sit in vegetation, they're pretty hard to see." Accustomed to alligators, Florida locals are not easily fazed by wildlife. The subtropical state numbers black widow spiders and fire ants among its more exotic residents. But pythons are proving particularly chilling. The snakes reproduce rapidly, laying as many as 100 eggs at a time. "We do have a serious python problem, and this programme is a good first step in helping to stop the spread of this exotic species," said Rodney Barreto, the chair of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Curbs have been imposed on keeping pythons as pets – including a compulsory annual $100 (£61) permit and embedded microchips to track escaped pets. But animal rights groups have called for more radical steps. The Humane Society of the United States said a ban on the trade in pythons would be more effective than any hunt for wild snakes. "We should not pursue wasteful and futile strategies like bounty programs and public hunts," said Wayne Pacelle, the society's chief executive. "They won't work, and could do more harm than good." The Floridian authorities are encouraging anyone who spots a python to call a telephone hotline. In an increasingly elaborate operation, researchers at the University of Florida are even working on miniature drones which can detect the heat given off by pythons from the air. If the initial hunt proves promising, many more trapping licences could be issued. The hunters are ready for the kill. "They've got beautiful colouration and they're sleek and powerful," said Heflick. "They're actually magnificent animals. They just don't belong here." Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/19/florida-santions-mass-python-hunt Traduction: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guardian.co.uk%2Fworld%2F2009%2Fjul%2F19%2Fflorida-santions-mass-python-hunt

Python hunters snag their first catch in the Everglades, a nearly 10-footer A crew on an expedition seeking Burmese python in state wetlands quickly discovered one of the unwanted reptiles on Friday. On a publicity-tour stop at a tree island in western Broward County, near the Holiday Trail, newly authorized snake wranglers captured a python measuring 9 feet, 8 inches. It was under a boardwalk. "Everybody was very surprised that a python was found," said Pat Behnke, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "Our experts told us not to expect that we could find one." FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto, a part-time Keys resident, accompanied the group. Pythons have become the poster reptile for invasive exotic species in South Florida, symbolizing the environmental danger that non-native species pose to the natural ecosystem. On Wednesday -- just days after U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson illustrated the dangers of pythons by rolling out a 16-foot python skin to his Senate colleagues on the Senate floor -- Gov. Charlie Crist put out an order allowing qualified trappers to catch them in South Florida wetlands. So far, five people statewide have been granted permits. After catching a python, they must euthanize it, then report its GPS location and take a digital photo of the carcass. They must also fill out a data collection sheet and submit it to the FWC. They're allowed to sell the snake's hide and meat. Released or escaped pet pythons found a foothold in the Everglades and have started breeding. Pythons have few natural predators in South Florida, and a female python might lay 100 eggs at a time. The first large python found in the hammocks of North Key Largo was caught in April 2007 after it ate an endangered Key Largo woodrat. Researchers discovered the snake when they were tracking a woodrat fitted with a radio collar -- which was found inside the snake. Since then, at least a half-dozen pythons have been found in the Upper Keys. The longest measured nearly 10 feet. In June 2008, a Key Largo resident used a tree limb to dispatch a 7-foot python that attacked a bird in her yard near mile marker 98.6. Other large non-native snakes have been captured in the Lower Keys, but wildlife experts believe those were pets escaped from local homes. The python permit program runs until Oct. 31, at which time the FWC will evaluate the data collected and determine if it should extend or expand the program. "We're getting a lot of calls from people interested in it," Behnke said. Everglades National Park has a similar program, allowing authorized hunters to capture non-native snakes. In conjunction with the new state program, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said the program will be given new priority and may be expanded. "Burmese pythons are an invasive species that have no place in the Everglades and threaten its delicate ecosystem," Salazar said. "We are committed to aggressively combating this threat, including having trained and well-supervised volunteers hunt down and remove snakes." Behnke said the state would not declare open season on pythons. "That would not be a wise thing to do," she said. "This is not a species that just anyone can handle." "We want to keep this a carefully controlled program so we can collect very specific scientific data about where these snakes are, and gain knowledge about what they're doing and eating," Behnke said. She added, "We're not going to be able to go out and completely eradicate pythons from our wild areas. Anyone who believes that is kidding themselves." People spotting a python or other large snake can call can call Everglades National Park's Python Hotline at (305) 242-7827; or the Python Patrol Hotline toll-free at (888) 483-4681. Source: http://www.keysnet.com/110/story/121981.html Traduction: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.keysnet.com%2F110%2Fstory%2F121981.html

Florida wildlife officials to issue python hunting permits By next week, the first of a select squad of python hunters will be ready to roll. Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday approved plans to begin capturing and killing Burmese pythons that have invaded the Everglades. The governor called the program, similar to one used for ''nuisance'' alligators on state lands, important for protecting wildlife and the public. Scientists believe the snakes, likely offspring of pets released by owners or freed from cages or shops by Hurricane Andrew, primarily pose a threat to native species. It won't be an open season on constrictors. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will issue a limited number of permits starting Friday. The program, run with the South Florida Water Management District, will focus on state marshes south of Lake Okeechobee. Trappers, whom the FWC said would be confined to volunteer experts, will euthanize the snakes. They also will provide scientific data from weight to gut contents. Trappers would be able to sell the meat and skin, which has commercial value for shoes and other items. FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said the program would run through the winter, then be reviewed to see if it was effective. Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson also has called for a controlled hunt in Everglades National Park -- one run by ''deputized'' agents and volunteers. The National Park Service is working on its own plan. Some scientists doubt hunting can control an estimated 100,000-plus snakes that move freely in the wilds of South Florida. Barreto said efforts will need to include federal land to work. He also still hopes to establish a python bounty, which he called a ''cost-effective'' solution. Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1143606.html?storylink=pd

La population du Python molurus à l'état sauvage dans l'état de Floride (USA) est estimée à environ 100 000 spécimens (ce chiffre est à prendre, bien sûr, avec précaution)... Voici quelques articles, en anglais, sur cette invasion du Python molurus aux Etats-Unis...

Meurthe-et-Moselle - Il collectionnait caïman, pythons, grenouilles et tortues Un bon père de famille abritait chez lui sans autorisation un caïman à lunettes d'1,30 m, neuf pythons et boas mesurant jusqu'à 4 mètres de long. Le père de famille a-t-il voulu recréer une ambiance "Livre de la Jungle" pour ses enfants ? Toujours est-il qu'un caïman à lunettes d'1,30 m, neuf pythons et boas mesurant jusqu'à 4 mètres de long ainsi qu'une grenouille de Guyane et des tortues birmanes ont été saisis chez lui en Meurthe-et-Moselle. Selon l'Office nationale de la chasse et de la faune sauvage (ONCFS), les animaux étaient bien entretenus et en bonne santé, mais certains, comme les tortues et les grenouilles, étaient des espèces protégées dont la détention par des particuliers est interdite. En outre, "la sécurité n'était pas pleinement assurée: un terrarium n'était par exemple pas verrouillé", selon la même source. Enfin, le propriétaire n'était pas en possession "des autorisations particulières et des certificats" indispensables pour la détention de certains animaux classés dangereux, comme le caïman. Un serpent de 4 mètres Accompagnés de gendarmes et d'agents des services vétérinaires de Meurthe-et-Moselle, les fonctionnaires de l'ONCFS sont venus lundi au domicile du père de famille pour saisir les animaux, dont les neuf serpents mesurant de 1,3 m à 4 m. Le propriétaire a indiqué aux gendarmes qu'il s'était procuré les animaux à l'étranger, "où la législation est parfois plus souple", affirme le responsable de l'ONCFS. Les animaux ont été placés "dans des établissements autorisés, en France", a précisé l'office. Des poursuites judiciaires doivent être engagées par le parquet contre le propriétaire pour tous les manquements constatés à la réglementation. Source: http://tf1.lci.fr/infos/insolite/0,,4507218,00-il-collectionnait-caiman-pythons-grenouilles-et-tortues-.html

Un crocodile dans l'avion: panique à bord La panique s'est emparée vendredi des passagers du vol Abou Dhabi-Le Caire de la compagnie Egypt Air, après la découverte d'un petit crocodile se promenant tranquillement entre les sièges de l'appareil, a-t-on appris de source aéroportuaire. Terrifiés, plusieurs passagers se sont mis à hurler à la vue de l'animal de 30 centimètres de long, alertant l'équipage qui s'est précipité pour s'en emparer. Une fois l'avion arrivé au Caire, le crocodile a été remis aux autorités vétérinaires de l'aéroport international de la capitale égyptienne, qui doivent le confier au zoo de Guizeh. Le mystère reste entier Le mystère reste entier sur la présence de l'animal dans l'appareil. Tous les passagers ont catégoriquement nié avoir un quelconque lien avec le crocodile. En août 2007, plus de 250 bébés crocodiles, ainsi que des serpents et des caméléons, avaient été découverts dans les bagages d'un Saoudien qui quittait l'Egypte. Ils avaient tous été remis au zoo. Source: http://www.7sur7.be/7s7/fr/1504/Insolite/article/detail/951514/2009/07/31/Un-crocodile-dans-l-avion-panique-a-bord.dhtml