malt_geckos
Don't Say It's Impossible
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- 3,971
- Location
- Gainesville, Fl
I don't know if this has been said on here yet...This is VERY important for everyone so please read...
Senator Bill Nelson of Fl has proposed a new law banning the import and export of ALL python species. His reasoning is that all pythons are having a devestating effect of Floridas native species. As most know, they've already made it so you hve to have a license and micro chip large pythons.
What's scary is now Mr. Nelson has 10 other senators behind him when he only needed one.
He's already written this letter to President Obama...
Mr Nelson of Florida. Mr. President. I rise today to discuss exotic pythons and the devestating impact they are having on wildlife in my home state. To combat this deadly non-native nuisance, I'm also filing a bill that will ban the interstate commerce and importation of these snakes. Pythons were first descovered in the Everglades in the mid-1990s and now have rapidly growing breeding populations within the boundry of Everglades National Park. They impact almost seventy endangered species living in the Everglades and threaten to upset the natural balance that we are spending billions of dollars to restore. When I toured the Everglades with Environment and Public Works Commity chairman Barbara Boxer, we witnessed first hand the damage pythons are causing and the efforts researchers are making to eradicate them from the wild.
These snakes were brought to Florida to be sold as pets, and were introduced into the wild by owners who could no longer handle them. They eat animals ranging from song-birds to white Ibisis, as well as endangered and threatened species such as the Key Largo wood rat. Pythons can grow to be 23 ft long (ROLLS EYES! <--Mallorie), and weigh up to 200 pounds, and there is currently no effective way of erradingcating them in the wild.
They can consume animals many times their size, and recently, researchers also found cougar parts in the stomaches of captured pythons. This development could signal a new threat to the endangered Florida Panther, which we have been working so hard to save.
Python populations have also been discovered in Big Cypress National Preserve to the north, Miami's water management areas to the northeast, Key Largo to the southeast, and many state parks, municipalities, and public and private lands in the region.
Because climate range projections from the U.S. Geological survey show that pythons may soon expand their range to include much of the southern third of the U.S., getting their populations under control is even more pressing
In the last year, the state of Florida has taken some actions to address the problems created by owners who release their pythons into the wild, and I applaud these efforts. The state now requires owners of animals they call "reptiles of concern"- a category that includes two species besides pythons-not only to obtain permits for their animals, but also to implant a tracking micro chip in larger pythons.
I believe federal action is also needed. That is why today i'm introducing a bill that would ammend the Lacey Act to ban the importation and inerstate commerce of the python. This step is needed to reduce the number of pythons released into the wild by pet owners who don't understand the responsibilty of caring for a python entails. In 2007 pre-eminant environmentalist and former assistant secretary to the Intereior Nathaniel Reed wrote, "The dramatic increase in the number of snakes in the park and Big Cypress call into question why it has taken so long for the service to utilize its powers under the Lacey Act to prevent importation of the snake into an ecosystem where escapies and rejects have built a sustainable population."
If we do not take action now, we will let python populations in Florida continue to grow and further ravage the already fragile Everglades (which they srewed up because of polution and farming BTW! <---Mallorie), as well as risk letting them spread throughout the southern portion of the Untied States.
Mr. President I ask unanimous consitent that the text of the bill be printed in the record.
SOOOO- A lot of his comments are not based on scientific fact.
THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN BY INCREDIBLE PETS, Melbourne, Fl. Sent to Bill Nelson
1) Non-endiginous reptiles could spread beyond the areas they are presently occupying because of Global Warming. Scientific fact has shown that in the case of global warming, extremes in temperature will occur in areas that have never seen swings in temperature before, including sudden lower that normal temperature drops. As you are aware, even this winter, Brevard experienced three local frosts which, you may not be aware, effectively wiped out any non-indigenous reptiles locally.
2) There is no evidence that exotic reptiles are routinely released into the wild by pet owners or that the exotic pythons in particular came from pet keepers who will be effected most by this bill.
3) It is known that verified reports as early as 1952 described the sighting of pythons in south Florida giving even a single pair long enough time to reproduce to their present numbers.
4) It is known that Hurricane Andrew and its devistating effects damaged facilities like the Miami Metro zoo causing the release of exotic animals.
5)Scientific fact shows that the extreme temperature, known to be a side effect of global warming, would eliminate, not allow, the spread of exotic reptiles.
6) Forbes Magazine described the ball python as the most valuable live animal traded, because of the reptile industry (previously the race horse had this distinction). This is because of the millions of dollars traded daily throughout the US for even this one specie. We sell over 1,000 of these pythons for pets at our one store alone to Brevard residents and we are just one store. Can you imagine what numbers an urban store sells?
7) This bill would eliminate the International Reptile Expo held in Daytona, Fl. each year the largest reptile expo in the world that attracts buyers from all over the world and generates millions of dollars in just one weekend.
8) This bill will damage our economy locally as well as nationally at the time that it would hurt the most!
9) This bill would take away the right every American deserves to persue happiness in a hobby that does not hurt anyone.
There is a reason that iconic figures like Steve Irwin are idolized by many young people and that channels like the animal planet have such popularity. We are a population that is facinated by reptiles, driven by concervation, self-regulated to a large degree, persuing a dream based on freedom that this bill will destroy. Please withdraw your support and join your constituitiants against the destruction of our industry.
SO That was part of a letter that was written by an owner of a VERY popular shop down here that generates over a million dollars in revenue on reptiles in a year.
So What we need everyone to do is to PLEASE write Bill Nelson a letter or email. The bill is called HR669. DO NOT get angry at him. Be sensible and get your point accross. The last thing we want is for him to see the bad side of us. So Please, email this to everyone you know, post it on forums, do anything you can to get this out. This will KILL our economy! Some of the best python breeders are here in Florida and can you imagine no Breeder's Expo?! It's a crude reality that we are going to face if we don't do something about it. So please write, email or call him...
Here's his contact info:
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/legislation.cfm
Also- I have permition to post this from Pete Bandre' of Increbible Pets who was handing out flyers with all this information.
Senator Bill Nelson of Fl has proposed a new law banning the import and export of ALL python species. His reasoning is that all pythons are having a devestating effect of Floridas native species. As most know, they've already made it so you hve to have a license and micro chip large pythons.
What's scary is now Mr. Nelson has 10 other senators behind him when he only needed one.
He's already written this letter to President Obama...
Mr Nelson of Florida. Mr. President. I rise today to discuss exotic pythons and the devestating impact they are having on wildlife in my home state. To combat this deadly non-native nuisance, I'm also filing a bill that will ban the interstate commerce and importation of these snakes. Pythons were first descovered in the Everglades in the mid-1990s and now have rapidly growing breeding populations within the boundry of Everglades National Park. They impact almost seventy endangered species living in the Everglades and threaten to upset the natural balance that we are spending billions of dollars to restore. When I toured the Everglades with Environment and Public Works Commity chairman Barbara Boxer, we witnessed first hand the damage pythons are causing and the efforts researchers are making to eradicate them from the wild.
These snakes were brought to Florida to be sold as pets, and were introduced into the wild by owners who could no longer handle them. They eat animals ranging from song-birds to white Ibisis, as well as endangered and threatened species such as the Key Largo wood rat. Pythons can grow to be 23 ft long (ROLLS EYES! <--Mallorie), and weigh up to 200 pounds, and there is currently no effective way of erradingcating them in the wild.
They can consume animals many times their size, and recently, researchers also found cougar parts in the stomaches of captured pythons. This development could signal a new threat to the endangered Florida Panther, which we have been working so hard to save.
Python populations have also been discovered in Big Cypress National Preserve to the north, Miami's water management areas to the northeast, Key Largo to the southeast, and many state parks, municipalities, and public and private lands in the region.
Because climate range projections from the U.S. Geological survey show that pythons may soon expand their range to include much of the southern third of the U.S., getting their populations under control is even more pressing
In the last year, the state of Florida has taken some actions to address the problems created by owners who release their pythons into the wild, and I applaud these efforts. The state now requires owners of animals they call "reptiles of concern"- a category that includes two species besides pythons-not only to obtain permits for their animals, but also to implant a tracking micro chip in larger pythons.
I believe federal action is also needed. That is why today i'm introducing a bill that would ammend the Lacey Act to ban the importation and inerstate commerce of the python. This step is needed to reduce the number of pythons released into the wild by pet owners who don't understand the responsibilty of caring for a python entails. In 2007 pre-eminant environmentalist and former assistant secretary to the Intereior Nathaniel Reed wrote, "The dramatic increase in the number of snakes in the park and Big Cypress call into question why it has taken so long for the service to utilize its powers under the Lacey Act to prevent importation of the snake into an ecosystem where escapies and rejects have built a sustainable population."
If we do not take action now, we will let python populations in Florida continue to grow and further ravage the already fragile Everglades (which they srewed up because of polution and farming BTW! <---Mallorie), as well as risk letting them spread throughout the southern portion of the Untied States.
Mr. President I ask unanimous consitent that the text of the bill be printed in the record.
SOOOO- A lot of his comments are not based on scientific fact.
THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN BY INCREDIBLE PETS, Melbourne, Fl. Sent to Bill Nelson
1) Non-endiginous reptiles could spread beyond the areas they are presently occupying because of Global Warming. Scientific fact has shown that in the case of global warming, extremes in temperature will occur in areas that have never seen swings in temperature before, including sudden lower that normal temperature drops. As you are aware, even this winter, Brevard experienced three local frosts which, you may not be aware, effectively wiped out any non-indigenous reptiles locally.
2) There is no evidence that exotic reptiles are routinely released into the wild by pet owners or that the exotic pythons in particular came from pet keepers who will be effected most by this bill.
3) It is known that verified reports as early as 1952 described the sighting of pythons in south Florida giving even a single pair long enough time to reproduce to their present numbers.
4) It is known that Hurricane Andrew and its devistating effects damaged facilities like the Miami Metro zoo causing the release of exotic animals.
5)Scientific fact shows that the extreme temperature, known to be a side effect of global warming, would eliminate, not allow, the spread of exotic reptiles.
6) Forbes Magazine described the ball python as the most valuable live animal traded, because of the reptile industry (previously the race horse had this distinction). This is because of the millions of dollars traded daily throughout the US for even this one specie. We sell over 1,000 of these pythons for pets at our one store alone to Brevard residents and we are just one store. Can you imagine what numbers an urban store sells?
7) This bill would eliminate the International Reptile Expo held in Daytona, Fl. each year the largest reptile expo in the world that attracts buyers from all over the world and generates millions of dollars in just one weekend.
8) This bill will damage our economy locally as well as nationally at the time that it would hurt the most!
9) This bill would take away the right every American deserves to persue happiness in a hobby that does not hurt anyone.
There is a reason that iconic figures like Steve Irwin are idolized by many young people and that channels like the animal planet have such popularity. We are a population that is facinated by reptiles, driven by concervation, self-regulated to a large degree, persuing a dream based on freedom that this bill will destroy. Please withdraw your support and join your constituitiants against the destruction of our industry.
SO That was part of a letter that was written by an owner of a VERY popular shop down here that generates over a million dollars in revenue on reptiles in a year.
So What we need everyone to do is to PLEASE write Bill Nelson a letter or email. The bill is called HR669. DO NOT get angry at him. Be sensible and get your point accross. The last thing we want is for him to see the bad side of us. So Please, email this to everyone you know, post it on forums, do anything you can to get this out. This will KILL our economy! Some of the best python breeders are here in Florida and can you imagine no Breeder's Expo?! It's a crude reality that we are going to face if we don't do something about it. So please write, email or call him...
Here's his contact info:
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/legislation.cfm
Also- I have permition to post this from Pete Bandre' of Increbible Pets who was handing out flyers with all this information.
