Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, I'm new out here but I see there's a need for me. I can clarify any questions anyone in Massachusetts may have about the legality of any reptile. I also have a full understanding of the conservation philosophy behind these laws. Hit me up.

Let me ask this question of the previous poster though as you said you are very familiar with Ma. laws. What possible purpose is there for a blanket restriction on all monitors when several of the most popular species (spiny tails) are less than 2 ft in length and 100% of them are captive bred since importation from Australia is illegal. I partly understand the larger species being regulated, by why not just name the larger species?

Also, why does the name Michael Dorca keep coming up in these articles which discuss all the negatives about pythons being in the everglades, including this latest study he led which claims there is a huge decline in mammals in which he implicates the python population as the probable reason.

>>Let me ask this question of the previous poster though as you said you are very familiar with Ma. laws. What possible purpose is there for a blanket restriction on all monitors when several of the most popular species (spiny tails) are less than 2 ft in length and 100% of them are captive bred since importation from Australia is illegal. I partly understand the larger species being regulated, by why not just name the larger species?
>>
>>Also, why does the name Michael Dorca keep coming up in these articles which discuss all the negatives about pythons being in the everglades, including this latest study he led which claims there is a huge decline in mammals in which he implicates the python population as the probable reason.

Question number one: A restriction on all monitor lizards is currently in place to keep unqualified and unprepared people from purchasing them and also because when the rule was enacted well over twenty years ago, most monitor lizards were wild-caught imports, which did poorly in captivity.

Remember: once an animal becomes "de-listed," it is free to become available in petshops. Unqualified/unprepared people frequent petshops regularly (when I say petshops, I mean PetCo and PetSmart). That cute hatchling Savannah monitor for $50.00 looks just like a dinosaur to every ten-year old who looks at it, but whose parents just don't understand how fast they grow and what the caging requirements will be a few years down the road. Or how hard that animal will be to get rid of when it's four feet in length and 60 pounds.

Reportedly this year (?) Spiny-tailed monitors (ackies) will become de-listed due in large part to their ease of care and small size.

Before you ask, I am aware that surrounding states such as New Hampshire allow the sale of all Varanus ssp. Massachusetts is not concerned with what other states choose to do.

Question number two: A Google search turns up the name "Michael Dorcas," who appears to be a professor/wildlife biologist for the University of Florida. He wrote a paper called "Burmese pythons in south Florida: Scientific support for invasive species management." There is no date as to when this paper was written, but it was one of the first ones that I read on the subject over five years ago. He appears to be an authority. Glad I could help