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Public Comment on the Proposed Rule Change by US Fish & Wildlife to add nine constrictor snakes to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act closed at midnight last night. To everyone who took the time to comment... THANK YOU!!! This unprecedented and controversial rule making, if enacted, would devastate the Reptile Nation and set dangerous precedent for the future.



Never before has a listing of this nature been proposed for animals that are so widely held by the American public. The implications for ball pythons, leopard geckos and bearded dragons are ominous. Anyone who thinks this was about big snakes is dead wrong. This is about the ideology of powerful special interest groups, and an attempt to misuse the Lacey Act to end the ownership of all non-native animals in the United States. The nine constrictors are just a test balloon. The rule making process will begin in June to list ALL amphibians. Ornamental fish will not be far behind.



Click here to read USARK Public Comment: http://usark.org/uploads/USARK Pub...le USFWS.pdf



Public Comment Reopened
USARK's request for extension of Public Comment on the proposed Rule Change by USFWS will be honored. We filed our request for a 90 extension at the end of April and were backed by two ranking members of congress. Although preliminary indications were that our request would be rejected, it is now confirmed that it will be honored.

Another 30 day public comment period will be re-opened with a posting in the Federal Register late this week. If you are one of the many who did not make comment by the deadline last night, you may get a second opportunity!



This whole thing could very well end in a federal lawsuit filed by USARK against the US Fish & Wildlife Service. We have the facts and science on our side. USARK filed a 36 page Request for Correction under the Information Quality Act with the US Geological Survey regarding their report: Giant constrictors: biological and management profiles and an establishment risk assessment for nine large species of pythons, anacondas, and the boa constrictor. There is no longer any question about the problems USGS has with this poorly written report.



***The costs to engage in a lawsuit with USFWS will be considerable. Please consider donating to help the Reptile Nation defeat this proposed rule making. Even $5-10 will help. A more generous donation will help even more!





For Questions:

Andrew Wyatt

president@usark.org

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