Wakey, Wakey, Hands Off Snakey!

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed placing the Burmese python and eight other constrictor-type snakes on the Lacey Act's list of Injurious Species. If approved, this would ban the import and interstate transport of all nine species. The Burmese python is one of several non-native snakes causing concern in Florida due to the establishment of breeding populations in the Everglades.

The complete list:

• Burmese python
  
• northern African python
  
• southern African python
  
• reticulated python
  
• green anaconda
  
• yellow anaconda
  
• Beni or Bolivian anaconda
  
• DeSchauensee’s anaconda
  
• boa constrictor

(The press release does not provide scientific names; complete details will be published in the Federal Register in February)