U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Constrictor Snakes as Injurious Wildlife What It Means for Snake Owners

On March 23, 2012, four species of or have the potential to be harmful to for imports, interstate movement, constrictors (Burmese python, Northern either the health and welfare of humans, or acquisition under the Lacey Act. and Southern African pythons, and the interests of forestry, agriculture, or The Lacey Act will not authorize the yellow anacondas) were listed as injurious horticulture, or the welfare and survival movement of injurious personal pets. wildlife under the Lacey Act. On April 9, of wildlife or wildlife resources. 2015, four additional species were listed If you wish to conduct one of the activities (reticulated python, DeSchauensee’s Releasing large snakes into areas where listed above under the Lacey Act, you anaconda, green anaconda, and Beni they are not native causes an imbalance must submit an application to the Service anaconda). This factsheet was developed in the food chain and other serious requesting authorization (Form 3-200- to answer the public’s questions about ecological problems. Species native to the 42). The application will ask questions the listing and ensure an understanding United States have not evolved behaviors about the activity you wish to carry out of what the listing means in terms of or other defenses to protect themselves and give you an opportunity to explain transporting and housing these species. against these large predators, because how this activity would meet the permit It also includes a section for snake there is no native predator similar to issuance criteria under the Lacey Act and owners that answers questions they may these snakes in the United States. All of its implementing regulations. If a permit have around these new regulations. these eight species of constrictors can or other authorization is granted by the attain lengths greater than any of our Service, you will be able to carry out your What does it mean if a species is listed as native snakes. Many of our threatened proposed activity. injurious wildlife? and endangered species would be further Under the Lacey Act, a species of imperiled and risk extinction if these Please note that there may be other wildlife can be listed as injurious when species of snakes become established. Federal, State, or foreign permitting it has been demonstrated to be harmful requirements; the Service will assist you Regulations & Permits in meeting these needs at the time that you apply for authorization under the To control the introduction and spread Lacey Act. The permit or authorization of an injurious species, the listing of may include one or more “permit the species as “injurious” under the conditions” that would apply to how you Lacey Act means that its importation conduct the proposed activity to ensure and interstate transport are prohibited the safety of the animal and to reduce the without a permit issued by the Service. risk that the specimen would cause an This prohibition includes importation or adverse impact on the environment. interstate movement of live animals, their gametes, hybrids, and viable eggs. The

Arno Meintjes CC BY-NC 2.0 Arno Meintjes CC BY-NC One requirement for all injurious wildlife Lacey Act does not restrict intrastate permits or authorization is that the (moving within your State) transport. specimen would be maintained in double However, injurious species may not escape-proof containment at ALL times. be transported into or through U.S. This requirement (explained further territories or States. below) means that the snake covered by the Lacey Act authorization must Importing a listed species, moving be maintained in double escape-proof it across State lines, or acquiring a containment throughout any interstate specimen when interstate movement movement or importation, as well as or importation is involved requires while the snake is permanently or authorization, in the form of a permit or temporarily housed at your home or letter of authorization, from the Service facility. BEFORE the activity occurs. The Lacey Act is very specific on the types of This requirement also extends to any activities that can be authorized, however. offspring of that specimen. In practical Only legitimate medical, scientific, Burmese Python terms, this means that once a snake zoological, or educational activities can is covered by a permit, it must be be the basis for issuing authorization maintained in double escape-proof It is recommended that you also Questions for Snake Owners containment for the rest of its life. consider any regulations of the State you are exporting from as well as any What are the “next steps” for snake This requirement also applies to requirements of the air carrier or of owners? What do I need to do to be specimens previously covered under a the country to which the snake is being compliant? permit. If you have previously obtained a exported. The listing does not affect ownership permit to take one of these species across of the eight species, provided that the state lines, the snake must now be held in Double Escape-proof Containment animals were obtained prior to the double escape proof containment. This requirement is to ensure that effective date of the rule or obtained Permits may be requested by filing specimens the Service has permitted as within the State you live in after the form 3-200-42 with the U.S. Fish and part of an otherwise prohibited activity effective date of the rule. If you own a Wildlife Service, Division of Management do not cause the specific environmental snake as a pet, there is no need to do Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS-IA, damage that the listing under the Lacey anything as long as the snakes remain Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. The Act was designed to prevent. Since the within the State where you currently application form may be obtained main reason for listing these eight species reside. There are no special steps needed through the Service’s International under the Lacey Act was to prevent the to be taken to be compliant with the rule. Affairs website (http://www.fws.gov/ colonization or further spread of these Under this rule, there is no requirement forms/3-200-42.pdf or http://www.fws.gov/ species in areas of the United States for PIT tags or for surrendering animals. permits), or by calling 1-800-358-2104. where the specimens have been shown to be a risk to native wildlife or habitats, If you anticipate needing to transport Importing Snakes the housing requirement is necessary your snake across a State line for As stated above, the Lacey Act only to prevent unintentional release of zoological, educational, medical (does allows imports to occur if the purpose permitted specimens. not include veterinary), or scientific of the import is medical, scientific, purposes, you should apply for a permit zoological, or educational. The current A double escape-proof containment from the Service, and any States you application form (3-200-42) would need typically involves maintaining the snake will transit, as soon as possible to allow to be completed and submitted to the in a cage within a larger container or up to 60 days for processing (see the Service for processing. locked room. Maintaining your snake permitting section above for more within a glass-enclosed aquarium or information). display cage within a building would most likely meet this requirement. Likewise, when you are moving the snake from one location to another, such as going from the reptile house of a zoo to the veterinary clinic at the zoo, the snake must be held in a travel container within a larger container. This is to ensure that, however unlikely, if the snake were to get out of one enclosure the second enclosure would restrict escape.

Public Display

The Lacey Act does not regulate public 2.0 Michael Ransburg CC BY-NC-ND

Bernard Dupont CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Bernard Dupont CC BY-NC-SA Yellow Anaconda Southern African Python display that is not associated with an import, interstate movement, or Do these new regulations affect the Exporting Snakes acquisition (buying or obtaining a listed breeding of these species? The Lacey Act does not regulate specimen in association with import The Lacey Act does not regulate the exportation of listed species. This means or interstate movement). Therefore, breeding of listed species. There are no that you can export a listed snake without providing the specimen is not taken prohibitions for you to breed your snake, acquiring authorization under the Lacey across State lines or imported in order provided you do not subsequently move Act. These species are, however, listed to conduct the public display, no permit the snakes across State lines. If you in Appendix II of the Convention on or authorization is required under the are commercially breeding one of these International Trade of Endangered Lacey Act. Educational programs can be species, or breeding as a hobby, you can Species of Wild Fauna and Flora conducted with these snakes provided continue these activities within your (CITES) and would require a CITES that any requirements that may have State. export permit from the Service. been placed on the specimens through a previous permitting process are met (see What do I need to do if I’m transporting my While the Lacey Act does not address more on education programs below). snake within the State? export, it does regulate interstate Again, the Lacey Act does not regulate movement. Therefore, while you can intrastate movement of listed species. export specimens of these eight species, As long as you are not leaving the State you cannot cross State lines while (crossing State lines), no permit or other transporting specimens to an airport, and authorization is required to move your the plane cannot land in another State snake. while in transit to its final destination. Where can I find more information on moving across State lines and surrendering my pet snake? An owner of one of the listed species of snake should contact local authorities responsible for the disposition of unwanted pets. Additional information about the safe and ethical surrender of unwanted exotic pets may be available through the State’s natural resources or fish and game agency in which the pet resides. The local office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can also provide additional information; the Service website, http://www.fws.gov, can help snake owners find their local Service office. In addition, pet owners may also ask their local pet retailer or wild animal zoo for suggestions on ethical alternatives.

Here are some additional websites that

USFWS might be of assistance: Former Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar, and USFWS Director, Dan Ashe, with • Pet Industry Joint Advisory Burmese Python Council’s Pet Pathway Toolkit: http:// Can I buy these snakes at Reptile Expos? prohibited. The snake will have to be www.petpathwaytoolkit.com/ The Lacey Act does not regulate treated by an in-State professional. • Habitattitude: http://www. intrastate commerce or obtaining a listed habitattitude.net/ specimen within the State where you I run a reptile rescue center and people live. As long as the snake was within your send me sick or unwanted reptiles. Will I be • Florida Fish and Wildlife State before the listing becomes effective able to receive the listed species from other Conservation Commission’s or the snake is born within the State states? Nonnative Amnesty Day Events after the listing, no permit is required to No, sick or unwanted pets of the eight http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/ purchase or possess one of these snakes. species will need to go a rescue center nonnatives/amnesty-day-events/ within their State. The Service does not regulate activities within a State, only activities that result I am part of an education program with in live, listed species crossing State lines Burmese pythons (or the other listed or being imported into the country. If species) for schools and other groups, the buyer or the seller transports a live sometimes in another state. Will I still be snake across State lines, a violation of the able to travel to other States? injurious wildlife provisions of the Lacey To move a snake across State lines, even Act would have occurred unless the for temporary educational purposes, Service has issued a permit authorizing you must have authorization from the the transport. Service under the Lacey Act. The snakes must be maintained in double escape- Can I order these snakes on the Internet? proof containment and cannot be taken Again, the Lacey Act does not regulate out of this containment in areas where intrastate commerce. As long as the escape, however unlikely, could occur snake was within your State before the (see the section on double escape-proof listing becomes effective or the snake is containment above). born within the State after the listing, no permit or other authorization is required This requirement, however, would U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to purchase or possess one of these limit your ability to use the snake in International Affairs snakes. The sale or purchase of a live educational programs where the snake 5275 Leesburg Pike snake through the Internet would not is removed from its enclosure to be Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 be permitted if the snake crosses a State handled. To be handled by the public, 703/358-2104 or 800/358-2104 line (including coming from or going to the educational program would have to e-mail: [email protected] the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, be in an interior room of a building with http://www.fws.gov/international and the U.S. territories) or is imported. at least two closed doors or egresses between the snake and the outdoors. March 2015 My veterinarian is in another state. May I Educational programs cannot be held @USFWSInternatl take my listed snake to the veterinarian? outside, nor can the snake be hand- No, transporting out of State to take carried outside at a facility. Like us on Facebook the animal to a veterinarian will be USFWS_International Affairs