Below is a copy of an email sent to some higher up TPWD staff at HQ. I'm waiting to see how/if I get a reply.
KJ


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FYI....

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Texas Parks and Wildlife "Black List" ~ CORN SNAKES
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:39:28 -0500
From: KJ Lodrigue, Jr.
To:
References:


Good evening:

There seems to be some poor understanding and bad information in relation to the new "black list" entered in to the regulations. Pantherophis is listed on one list, and Elaphe is on the second list. There are also misspellings in the scientific names of some of the snakes of concern. To avoid all confusion, I will solely use the genus name Elaphe.

Prior to 1996, the "East Texas Cornsnake" populations were considered Emory Ratsnakes (E. emoryi or E. g. emoryi). In 1996, a re-evaluation occurred which proposed that they be considered a dark race of cornsnakes (E. guttata or E. g. guttata). In 2002, a molecular study subdivided the west Louisiana and east Texas populations into a unique species called Elaphe slowinskii, or Slowinski's Cornsnake. E. guttata was found to not occur much west of the Mississippi River. All "Texas cornsnakes" were considered E. slowinskii and not E. guttata. Obviously, TPWD recognizes this distinction because E. slowinskii is on the white list. The E. slowinskii, or Slowinski's Cornsnake, in east Texas can be legally sold in Texas.

The new black list says cornsnakes can not be sold, but those are considered exotic to Texas as long as the white list calls the population in east Texas E. slowinskii. In other words, the same exact snakes are called by two different scientific names in your regulations: one is legal to sell and the other is illegal to sell. As far as cornsnakes being exotic and still illegal to sell, there is no social or biological reason to single out cornsnakes for prohibition while keeping numerous other exotics legal to breed and sell in Texas. The idea of protecting an exotic species from collection within the state - or outlawing cornsnakes because they are exotic while allowing more potentially dangerous exotics to be sold within Texas - is illogical. I'm sure this has to be a mistake.

The deleterious effects from outlawing the sale of cornsnakes in Texas - without actually protecting any native populations - are large. Thousands, or even tens of thousands, of hobbyists maintain in excess of 6 captive bred cornsnakes. All of these people would potentially be breaking the law now. Every pet store that sells reptiles almost definitely has cornsnakes available during most of the year. Every pet store in Texas would suffer financial losses with the regulations as written. Numerous Texas residents - not counting non-residents that travel to Texas to buy and sell at Texas reptile expositions - would suffer serious financial harm by the prevention of the sale of captive bred cornsnakes within the state of Texas.

I hope this is just an oversight and can be quickly corrected. I'd be more than happy to provide any further information - including the actual citations - mentioned above. I've copied this email to .


Thank you for your time,
KJ Lodrigue, Jr.


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KJUN Snakehaven

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