Scary New Video: Invasion of the Burmese Pythons, Rats and Exotic Wildlife
Peter Jenkins Director of International Conservation Defenders of Wildlife
Each year, pythons and hundreds of millions of other non-native wild animals are imported into the U.S. with no good way of screening out species that can harm native ecosystems or threaten human health.
To draw attention to this frightening situation and build support for congressional action to stop the exotic wildlife invasion, we’ve produced a brand-new internet video… just in time for Halloween!
Each year, millions of live wild animals enter our country legally. Eventually some escape or are released into the wild and harm native wildlife and wild places -- including many endangered species.
Taking into account control and monitoring programs and damage to our ecosystems, economies and public health, these invaders can cost America tens of billions of dollars a year.
But this exotic wildlife invasion isn’t just costly -- it’s also dangerous to native wildlife and can be deadly to people.
- In Florida, former pet pythons have been clashing with alligators in a battle for the top of the food chain -- and these non-native reptiles could someday slither their way as far north as Washington, DC;
- In the central U.S., Asian carps are decimating the natural ecosystems of our rivers and lakes;
- Across the country, European starlings have driven native birds out of their nesting sites; and
- Giant Gambian rats, imported as pets, have spread the highly contagious monkeypox virus.
To stem the exotic wildlife invasion, Defenders of Wildlife is calling on Congress to enact legislation that would provide for crucial screening of wildlife imports to reduce the risk of harm to our native wildlife, wild places and human health. We’re also urging decisive action on H.R. 2811 and S. 373, two bills to regulate the importation and interstate transportation of some of the deadliest pythons and other large constrictor snake species.
Best Regards,
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Peter Jenkins Director of International Conservation Defenders of Wildlife |
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Help Stop the Invasion
Poor screening of wildlife imports has led to a flood of non-native animals to the U.S., threatening our native wildlife and public health.
