Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just browsing our favorite topic. A Google search brought me to a USFWS site and under recovery plans it was mentioned that Auburn University would/should/has established a breeding colony of D.couperi. Anyone know about it? Does it exist? Does it produce hatchlings? Have any been repatriated successfully? Who is in charge of husbandry? Are the funded projects doing things the same as the private sector? Anyone know about this? Please fill us in...Thankyou, Vic Herrick in Nor-Cal.

They are talking about recapturing released animals for data so I assume they have either aquired gravid females or had successful breeding. If I have time I will call tomorrow to see if there is any more detail to the program.

The ultimate goal of this program as stated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service is to de-list the species! They have to meet three criteria before Drymarchon corais couperi can be delisted. More later.

I hope people don't push this issue too hard, as I expect bureaucrats will make the laws more general, encompassing and simply ban Drymarchon, knowing that enforcement at subspecies level is too difficult. I remember years ago people were breeding Python m.bivitattus X P.m.pimbura X P.m.molurus and various crosses to evade restrictive laws...and once the crosses get into the trade, there goes the genetic value if/when repatriation should be attempted. What a can of worms is this ES status...

The thinking may go something like this. 1 flood the market with Indigo hatchlings to lower their value to take the pressure off of them from possable poaching. 2 release captive stock in areas suitable for a recovery plan. Monitor sites to see that the population is holding their own or increasing. Maintain a large pure breeding colony to replentish sites as needed. Some of this is already documented stratagy strait from USFWS Florida.

that has bothered me for many years, more so with nonnative herps.
Can someone explain to me the logic of having to have a permit to cross state lines once the particular animal has been legally brought into the U.S.? This especially would apply to captive bred offspring of legally obtained animals. I just don't get it.
I can understand having a paper trail with the original documentation, & even documents for the offspring; I just don't get the part about not being able to take them anywhere in the U.S. without a permit on both ends?
Thanks, Max
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"I may be crazy, but I can rationalize just about anything."

The following quote is from the application for the interstate commerce permit:

Interstate Commerce permits authorize the sale of native endangered and threatened species
across State lines, but only for activities that will contribute to the species’ recovery by
enhancing their propagation or survival.

Does this mean that taking your own snakes across state lines is subject to the regulations of the states themselves? For example, is it legal to take my own Eastern Indigos from California to Nevada?

The Falconry community did something remarkable. The first thing they did was organize at a National level. The second thing they did was seek to remove the Peregrine Falcon from the endangered list. The third thing they did was lobbied to be able to acquire new blood from wild stock. They succeeded in all three! Food for thought.