CITIZENS VOICE (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) 13 November 05 Proposals target protection of amphibians, reptiles (Tom Venesky)
Two segments of the animal world that are generally overlooked are finally receiving some attention.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is reviewing stricter regulations to protect species of amphibians and reptiles that are declining or threatened.
The proposals place limits on possession and how many of a particular species can be killed, if any.
Drafted by the Pennsylvania Reptile and Amphibian Technical Advisory Committee, the proposals are an update to the PFBC's current regulations.
Rick Koval, a member of the committee and a naturalist with the North Branch Land Trust, said the current regulations are lacking in many areas.
"Pennsylvania is behind the times in regards to reptiles and amphibians," Koval said. "Under current regulations, a person can kill two box turtles a day every day of the year. I doubt anybody does that, but without tighter controls you can have a group of people go in and wipe out a population in an area."
The new proposals are based on current data, ranges and distributions of each species. They set limits based on how well the animal survives in captivity and the health of the population.
Koval represents the northeastern part of the state on the committee.
He said the proposals aren't meant to prohibit a herpetologist or someone interested in the species from catching and keeping common species like garter snakes and green frogs. They are designed to prohibit people from killing species that are at-risk or collecting animals that have difficulty surviving in captivity, such as the four-toed salamander or smooth green snake.
The risks to certain species have been increased due to the popularity of the animals on the black market.
Koval said many amphibian and reptile species are popular among collectors who trade or sell them for pets.
The committee also strengthened regulation pertaining to timber rattlesnakes. Koval said the timber rattlesnake regulations were difficult because of the popularity of rattlesnake hunts, such as the Noxen Rattlesnake Roundup.
"Roundups do more harm than good to the species, but they raise money for good causes, such as fire departments," Koval said.
The committee drafted a regulation that Koval feels will allow rattlesnake roundups to function while affording the species additional protection.
"We wanted to prevent the pregnant female rattlesnakes from being collected for roundups. We felt the large males would be the least impacted by this activity," Koval said.
The proposal reduces the possession limit for timber rattlesnakes from two to one per year.
In addition, the snake must be 42 inches long and have at least 21 subcaudal scales, which determine the sex.
"Anything over 42 inches is usually a male and females generally have less than 21 subcaudal scales," Koval said. "Participants will have to meet these requirements to collect one for competition. I believe responsible participants will be happy to comply with this."
The work of the committee is ongoing and more studies will be performed.
The work has already resulted in some species being designated as endangered in the state, such as the Eastern spadefoot toad.
"It wasn't designated before," Koval said. "The designations can be a political nightmare because of the opposition from developers, the mining and timber industries. But the additional studies we're doing prove the designation."
The proposals have been submitted to the PFBC and are in the 60-day public comment period.
To view the proposals, visit www.fish.state.pa.us.
Comments can be submitted on the website or sent to Executive Director, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, Pa. 17106-7000. Deadline for comments is Jan. 15, 2006.
"We're strengthening the regulations based on current science," Koval said.
Proposals target protection of amphibians, reptiles