Wildlife Official Questions Nelson's Rush to Ban Exotic Pythons

Florida wildlife officials are expressing concern about an effort by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, to speed up a ban on importing and trading exotic pythons, as a growing number of the species are being dumped in South Florida.

Scott Hardin, exotic species coordinator at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, expressed concern that the ban could have the unintended consequences of causing more snakes to be released into the wild, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Nelson has urged President Obama to speed up the process for including the Burmese python and five other pythons roaming around South Florida on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's list of injurious species, the Sentinel reported. That would trigger a ban on the import and interstate trade of the giant constrictors.

If pythons are further regulated and placed on the federal injurious species list, commercial dealers and breeders will not be able to sell and ship their snakes to buyers in other states, leaving them to figure out how to dispose of their pythons, the Sentinel reported.

While most dealers are trying to do the right thing, and would not release their snakes in the wild, it certainly could happen with some of the marginal dealers, Hardin said.

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