TAMPA, Fla. — The Forest Cobra, African Bush Viper, and Green Mamba are just three of the two dozen different species and more than 200 venomous snakes that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) recently caught on the black market in Florida.
The Humane Society of the United States said wildlife in the Sunshine State is already at risk with the rapid population growth.
“The last thing your native wildlife needs is more problems, more pressure, from a different species,” said Kate MacFall, Florida State Director for the Humane Society of the U.S.
They are species of invasive and deadly vipers, cobras, and more, sold for thousands of dollars on the black market.
“It's common, and unfortunately, Florida is a hotbed,” MacFall said.
He added that Florida’s climate creates a perfect habitat for foreign snakes to thrive.
For example, the Burmese Python has already decimated smaller native wildlife species in the Everglades in just four decades.
This week, the Humane Society is applauding the success of the FWC’s Operation Viper, in partnership with Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, for seizing more than 200 illegal snakes and arresting a ring of eight traffickers in the last two years.
“There were over 200 snakes, 24 different species from so many different countries, maybe seven or eight different countries, bringing them in illegally… very dangerous, dangerous to people and native wildlife, but also the risk of these animals getting out in this climate and becoming established,” MacFall said.
Authorities say the alleged traffickers sold the snakes to undercover officers on closed social media channels or specialized websites and also spoke of releasing the reptiles into Florida to breed for future profit.
The Humane Society asks that Florida residents support the legal trade of reptiles and only purchase animals from verified sellers.
