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Herp Regulations & Management

Herpetoculture

Pensacola Jr College

Herp Regulations

w   Federal:

•    Endangered Species Act

•    C.I.T.E.S.

w   Florida state:

•    FL endangered species list

•    Native wildlife take regulations

•    Marine Turtle Protection Act

•    Captive maintenance rules

Federal Regulations of Amphibians and Reptiles

Endangered Species Act

w   United States law

w   Places restrictions on a wide range of activities involving “listed” endangered and threatened animals and plants to help their survival

w   U.S. and foreign species

w   http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html#Species

C.I.T.E.S.

w   Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

w   International treaty regulating import / export of listed species – implemented in U.S. under ESA authority

CITES Appendix I

w   Includes species threatened with extinction

w   Requires export and import permits

w   Herp examples: giant salamanders, tomato frog, Galapagos tortoise, Komodo dragon, Puerto Rican boa, tuatara, gharial

CITES Appendix II

w   Includes species not presently threatened but may become so without trade regulation

w   Requires export permit

w   Herp examples: axolotl, poison dart frogs, gopher tortoise, marine iguana, king cobra, American alligator

CITES Appendix III

w   Includes species not listed on I or II but internally regulated by CITES nation

w   Requires export permit if coming from listing country

w   Herp examples: helmeted terrapin, Atlantic coral snake

Florida
State
Regulations of Amphibians and Reptiles

FL Endangered Species List

w   Endangered species:

•    Most sea turtles

•    American crocodile

w   Others listed as threatened species or species of special concern (see list)

w   Permits required for all

FL Native Wildlife Take Regulations

w   Fairly open regulations on non-listed herps

w   Take throughout year without permits for most herps

w   Some limits on methods for take in frogs and turtles

w   Some fw turtles – limit #s

Marine Turtle Protection Act

w   Similar in form to U.S. Endangered Species Act

w   Allows for and requires special relocation and monitoring program for nests in construction zones

Captive Maintenance Rules

w   Class I Wildlife

•    may not be possessed as personal pets due to nature, habits, or status

•    Requires permit and 5 foot chain link fence

•    Crocs (except dwarf), gharial, black caiman, Komodo dragon

Captive Maintenance Rules

w   Class II wildlife

•    Present a real or potential threat to human safety

•    Requires permit and 5 foot chain link fence

•    Alligators and caimans, dwarf crocodile

w   Venomous Herps

•    Permit & caging requirements

Captive Maintenance Rules

w   Welfare requirements:

•    Cage sizes

•    Branches and rocks

•    Shade and sun

•    Water

w   Reference: A Field Guide to Reptiles and the Law, by John P. Levell

AZA Management – Endangered Herp Species

Review: AZA Level Mangement Programs

w   Scientific Advisory Groups

w   Conservation Action Partnerships

w   Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGS)

•    Species Survival Plans (SSPs)

•    Studbooks

Herp TAGs

w   Amphibian TAG

w   Crocodilian TAG

w   Chelonian TAG

w   Lizard TAG

w   Snake TAG

Herp SSPs

w   Amphibians:

w   Puerto Rican crested toad

w   Wyoming toad

w   Panamanian Golden Frog (new)

Puerto Rican crested toad

Wyoming toad

Panamanian Golden Frog

Herp SSPs

w   Turtles:

w   Radiated tortoise

w   Burmese star tortoise (new)

Radiated tortoise

Burmese Star Tortoise

Herp SSPs

w    Squamates:

w    Komodo dragon

w    Jamaican rock iguana

w    Fiji Island Banded Iguana (new)

w    Mona / Virgin Islands boa

w    Aruba Island rattlesnake

w    Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake (new)

w    Louisiana pine snake

w     Note: Dumeril’s ground boa and Ocellated mountain viper removed

Komodo Dragon

Jamaican rock iguana

Fiji Island Banded Iguana

Mona / Virgin Islands boa

Aruba Island rattlesnake

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

Louisiana pine snake

Herp SSPs

w   Crocodylians:

w   Chinese alligator

w   Cuban crocodile

Chinese alligator

Cuban crocodile