Regulations for Conditional Snakes and Lizards
Changes have been made to Section 379.372, Florida Statutes, which regulates certain high-risk nonnative invasive reptiles in Florida, particularly those listed as Conditional, Prohibited, Venomous and Reptiles of Concern. The new laws go into effect July 1, 2020. Future possession of these species by eligible entities is now limited to the purposes of research, educational exhibition, control or eradication, and for qualifying commercial use and pet owners.
The FWC established Executive Order 20-19, effective July 1, 2020, to clarify how these changes will be implemented until final rules are approved by the Commission.
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The following species, including their taxonomic successors, subspecies, hybrids or eggs, are listed as Conditional snakes and lizards:
- Indian or Burmese python (Python molurus)
- Reticulated python (Python reticulatus)
- Northern African python (Python sebae)
- Southern African python (Python natalensis)
- Amethystine python (Morelia amethistinus)
- Scrub python (Morelia kinghorni)
- Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
- Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus)
Pythons can be humanely killed on private lands at any time with landowner permission - no permit or hunting license required - and the FWC encourages people to remove and kill pythons from private lands whenever possible.
The FWC wants the public to help remove invasive species such as the Burmese python and has has made it easier for the public to do so year-round. Burmese pythons and other nonnative reptiles may be humanely killed without a permit or hunting license at any time throughout the year, except by use of traps or firearms (unless provided for by specific area regulations) on the following Commission-managed areas. Do not enter areas posted as “Closed to Public Access.”
Help remove invasive reptiles from these Commission-managed areas:
- A I -FEB SGA
- Allapattah Flats WMA
- Allapattah Flats PSGHA
- Big Cypress WMA
- C-23/24 Reservoir PSGHA
- CREW WEA
- Dinner Island Ranch WMA
- DuPuis Dove Field PSGHA
- Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA
- Fisheating Creek WMA
- Frog Pond North PSGHA
- Holey Land WMA
- J. W. Corbett WMA
- John C. and Mariana Jones/Hungryland WEA
- John G. and Susan H. DuPuis, Jr. WEA
- Okaloacoochee Slough WMA
- Picayune Strand WMA
- Rocky Glades PSGHA
- Rotenberger WMA
- Southern Glades WEA
- Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West PSGHA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 2 PSGHA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4 PSGHA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 5/6 PSGHA
Live pythons may not be removed from these areas. However, python skins or meat may be kept and/or sold. PLEASE NOTE: Burmese pythons from Everglades National Park have been found to have very high levels of mercury; therefore, meat from pythons harvested in Florida may not be recommended for human consumption.