|
1-1 of 1 messages
|
Page 1 of 1
|
|
FL-Edgewater exploring ban on reptiles
|
Reply
|
|
by tigers9 on June 12, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/EastVolusia/evlHEAD02061009.htm
June 10, 2009
Cold shoulder
Edgewater exploring ban on reptiles
By KELLY CUCULIANSKY
Staff Writer
EDGEWATER -- Kelly Pyle is fascinated by ball pythons, electric blue day geckos and red bearded dragons. But these days the local and federal government are too.
Pyle, 29, is so attracted to these coldblooded creatures she bought a store last month -- Animal-Aholics -- where she sells fish, snakes and lizards while she goes to college to study biology. The love affair continues at home, where she and her 8-year-old daughter Sierra watch TV with pythons draped around their shoulders as their dog relaxes nearby.
But business ventures and hobbies like Pyle's could be at risk as government agencies deal with the effects of invasive species, such as green iguanas and Nile monitor lizards breeding in South Florida cities or 200-pound Burmese pythons living in Everglades National Park.
Aiming to deter similar invasions, Edgewater officials unanimously voted on preliminary changes in May to an ordinance that would outlaw nonnative and venomous reptiles. In Washington, a House bill proposed this year could ban the import and breeding of certain animals that aren't native to this country.
For shop owners like Pyle, both measures could put her out of business. The City Council has to vote on the rule, which excludes turtles and tortoises, one more time on June 15 to make it effective, although it will also consider a less stringent requirement for certain reptile owners.
Even so, the city's actions have been "very disconcerting," said Pyle, who does not sell or own venomous species.
"It's never the right answer to just straight ban everything," she said. "Half of my business is reptiles, so that's huge. That's half of my bills that I would have to pay."
As Pyle tries to organize fellow hobbyists to oppose the city proposal, the fight on the national level already geared up. The first hearing on the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act set off a storm of opposition from the pet industry in April.
According to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the measure "conservatively affects more than one-third of the country's population." The nonprofit trade association submitted written testimony to congressional subcommittees, saying apart from dogs, cats and goldfish, virtually every species in those homes would be banned.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Humane Society supports the bill's proactive approach to prevent nonnative and invasive animals from being introduced into the environment and damaging the ecosystem as they compete with native wildlife. According to the organization's Web site, much of the pet industry wouldn't be affected because domesticated animals would probably be exempt.
CITY MAY BACK OFF
In Edgewater, talks of the reptile ban began more than a year ago in Animal Control Board meetings.
There was no public opposition then or last month when the ban was first voted on by the council. To make a point of the potential problem, city staff mentioned two ball pythons -- popular pet snakes much smaller than the Burmese species -- captured locally in a kitchen and yard in the last six months.
Banning ownership of most reptiles could prevent issues down the road, but staff and the board also admit they were unaware of Animal-Aholics -- the only pet store in the city.
With such a broad ban, Pyle and her pet shop customers have questioned how it could be enforced. Would Animal Control officers show up at residents' doorsteps?
Gene Lemire, who breeds snakes with a partner in Edgewater, called the proposed rule "bogus."
"People have a right to the pets they want," he said. "If they pass this, what are we going to do with all the snakes that we have that we've spent so much money on and spent all these years putting together a breeding program?"
Unless there is a complaint, it's impossible to enforce it, said Donna Wagner of the Animal Control Board. The board was concerned about venomous snakes and constrictors when it brought up the new rule, she said.
"This is more about the dangerous reptiles and lizards and things than it is about little tiny green iguanas," she said. "The Animal Control Board was worried about people's safety."
City Manager Tracey Barlow recently called the proposal "pretty stringent," though, and instead of continuing with the earlier plan, Barlow said he will recommend the City Council take a similar approach to what another city did last year.
Deltona officials tried to outlaw venomous snakes, but upon further investigation, determined the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responsible for regulating them. The agency requires owners of venomous reptiles to have a license and meet conditions related to experience and enclosures.
Deltona now prohibits venomous snakes, but if those animals are registered with the state and the owner has a permit they are allowed to keep them. Emergency dispatchers also keep tabs on where the venomous snakes are located to insure the Fire Department is aware of the animals in a house when responding to calls.
Barlow hopes to create a similar Edgewater list, but it will be up to the City Council to vote on the new wording for the ordinance. Instead of banning most of the reptiles, the city would require owners of venomous snakes permitted by the wildlife commission to be registered with the city.
REPTILES IN TOWN
In the last three and a half years, residents made about 130 reptile-related calls to 911. Most callers reported snakes in garages and yards.
A review of those calls showed one instance of an exotic pet that got out of hand. In May 2008, a Burmese python latched on to a 49-year-old woman's arm and bit her twice on the thigh before getting back into its tank.
No one reported missing pets to emergency dispatchers and in most instances, it's unclear what types of snakes were relocated from residents' homes. Generally speaking, about 80 percent of calls for help are in regards to native snakes, said Jack Corder, director of the Animal Service Department.
And in case Edgewater residents are worried about Burmese pythons, the population hasn't reached this area, but it could be possible, although theories differ.
Last year, biologists with the U.S. Geological Survey released a climate map detailing python habitat that matches features from its native habitat in Asia. It includes all of Florida and other southeastern states and even spans into states along the Pacific coast.
Other biologists dispute the range, however, and have found it to be too broad. Using ecological niche modeling, one group from City University of New York found it's unlikely the snakes, which grow up to 26 feet long, will find any other homes besides the subtropical marshlands of the Everglades and South Florida. Global warming could even decrease the pythons' range.
For now, the Burmese population hasn't made it further than Alligator Alley, said Kevin Enge, a research herpetologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But it's a highly adaptable snake.
"I think they could live probably anywhere in Florida," he said.
But establishing a breeding population would be difficult.
The greatest diversity of exotic reptiles is in Miami, which can be attributed to the high number of reptile dealers, Enge said. Some are released by owners who can no longer care for them, while others escaped during Hurricane Andrew, which destroyed many facilities.
"There's about 35 different exotic reptile species that live in the greater Miami area," Enge said. "That's definitely the hot spot."
And remember the two ball pythons that Animal Control officers found in Edgewater?
Those species, native to Africa, are one of the most commonly kept snakes and it's not infrequent that they get loose from their owners, Enge said. They grow up to 6 feet length.
"They probably can survive if they find the right habitat and find food, but there's no evidence of them reproducing at all in (the wild in) Florida," he said.
kelly.cuculiansky@news-jrnl.com
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
