New York authorities confiscate 13-foot Burmese python

A New York man found out the hard way that it’s illegal to own a Burmese python without a permit in the state of New York.

Local authorities confiscated his 13-foot snake last week after receiving a complaint about it, according to a Facebook post from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

When a conservation officer visited the man’s home in New Hartford, New York, to investigate the report, the man stated that he hadn’t known how big the python would get. It was being contained in a tank between 4 and 5 feet long. The man recognized that he was no longer able to properly care for it.

National Geographic states that Burmese pythons can grow up to 23 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds. They can be as wide as a telephone pole.

This particular snake measured 13.2 feet and weighed 80 pounds, though the Department of Environmental Conservation says that it’s still growing.

The python has been transported to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York. The former owner has been assessed a ticket for possession of wildlife as a pet and for possessing dangerous wildlife without a permit.

People responded to the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Facebook post in a variety of ways. Some believe the man should be given the chance to secure the proper permits and habitats and then regain custody of the python. Others believe that exotic animals like that do not belong in homes.

Is the Burmese python an invasive species?

The Burmese python is in a unique position, as it is considered “vulnerable” — one step below “endangered” — on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, yet it’s also considered an invasive species in Florida.

First imported to the United States as part of the pet trade, escaped and released Burmese pythons have multiplied in Florida to the point where they now compete with the American alligator as the region’s top predator.

In an attempt to scale back the number of Burmese pythons, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida hands out a total of $25,000 annually to hunters who turn in the most pythons.

In their native land of Southeastern Asia, these snakes are hunted for both skins and the pet trade, which has decreased their population significantly.