Among over 200 illegally traded snakes in Florida, authorities claim the most hazardous snakes are

 BY MEDELEINE LIST 

JANUARY 13, 2023 4:34 PM

According to wildlife officials, one of the snakes that was illegally transported in Florida was the African bush viper (not the one seen). TED S. WARREN/AP Photo, File

                                      As part of an undercover investigation into illicit wildlife trafficking in Florida, over 200 snakes representing 24 of the "most hazardous in the world" species were purchased and sold, according to wildlife officials.

The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that eight traffickers were charged on Jan. 12 with crimes ranging from second-degree misdemeanours to third-degree felonies as a consequence of an undercover operation known as "Operation Viper."

According to a news release from the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission, undercover agents traded approximately 200 snakes with wildlife traffickers throughout the investigation, which began in 2020.

The inland taipan, bushmaster, rhinoceros viper, African bush viper, Gaboon viper, green mamba, eyelash viper, and other varieties of spitting cobra were among the species, which came from seven different parts of the world, according to the press release.

According to Maj. Randy Bowlin, head of the investigations and intelligence department of the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement, some of these snakes are among the most venomous in the whole globe. Florida's laws and regulations are in place to safeguard the public and avoid calamities.

According to the press release, "black-market trades" were frequently arranged through specialised websites or exclusive social media pages where criminal trafficking took place. The snakes would subsequently be purchased or sold in person by traffickers.

According to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, it is forbidden to "catch, maintain, own, or show" any dangerous reptile in Florida without a specific authorization.

According to the press release, wholesale dealers were among those indicted in the inquiry for allegedly bringing in "huge quantities" of poisonous snakes from other nations.

The statement states that if these illegal and deadly non-native species escaped, they could readily survive and reproduce in Florida's subtropical environment.

According to Britannica, the world's deadliest snake is the inland or western taipan, which the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission classified as one of the species traded in the state. Australia is the species' natural habitat.

According to the Australian Museum, when a snake bites, it injects its victim with venom that is incredibly strong. A bite might be fatal due to the venom's ability to travel throughout the body.

Dr. Benjamin Abo, a key investigator and the medical director of two venom response teams, stated in a statement, "We struggle every day to keep people alive and reduce lifelong consequences after a sad bite happens." "There are major reasons why the regulations for the care, crate-making, and transportation of these creatures are in place."

According to the press announcement, the investigation also showed that several traffickers obtained the snakes illegally from their home nations. Many times, snakes obtained illegally are "laundered" by black market vendors through trustworthy establishments so they may be sold without anybody knowing where they came from.

According to the press release, investigators discovered evidence that some suspects intended to introduce illegal species into Florida's natural environments in order to create a "readily-accessible wild breeding population" that would help them continue their trafficking operation.