Posted by:
RCampbell
at Tue Oct 21 15:59:41 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by RCampbell ]
I promised to post any correspondence, and here is the official word from Texas parks to me via e-mail.....
Mr. Campbell;
Your email was forwarded to my staff and me for response.
We're not aware of any proposed laws affecting the species you've mentioned. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department doesn't have the authority to regulate non-indigenous wildlife, so there's nothing TPWD could do about exotic venomous snakes or any crocodilian other than the American Alligator. And TPWD is not proposing any restrictions of native venomous snakes or alligators.
We did create a regulation 4 years ago that requires a person to have a permit if they collect certain nongame species for commercial purposes - that regulation includes native venomous snakes. (See TPWD Administrative Code 65.325-65.332 @ http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=31&pt=2&ch=65&sch=O&rl=Y)
I had a similar phone call along the same lines a few weeks ago, from someone in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area indicating they were told it was against the law to sell venomous snakes. I couldn't find any basis for the rumor.
There's a slim possibility that the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture or a local unit of govt. is proposing/has proposed something along those lines that we wouldn't know about (the USDA regulates some aspects on interstate trade in wildlife). But again, I haven't heard anything specific.
John Herron
Program Director, Wildlife Diversity
Texas Parks and Wildlife
I am still digging into this and will keep all posted...
[ Hide Replies ]
|
RE: Potential Problems Brewing in Texas - RCampbell, Tue Oct 21 15:59:41 2003