No excuse for snakes
http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=2159
Golf pro Scott Henrich, Loss Prevention Director Craig Tanaka and the rest of the staff at Makena Resort are to be praised for the way they handled the capture of a ball python on the fairway of the 9th hole last Friday. Henrich immediately reported his sighting and his team herded the snake into an insulated ice chest until specialists from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife could reach the scene to take control of the python.
The most disturbing part about last Friday’s incident is that state wildlife biologist Fern Duvall said the snake was most probably a pet. That means it was intentionally brought to Maui.
Snakes are a threat to many of our native species, some of which are already endangered. The importation of a snake is illegal and can result in a misdemeanor charge that carries up to a $20,000 fine and 30 days in jail. Possession of more than one snake is a felony with penalties of up to five years in prison and fines up to $200,000.
Frankly, it is hard to understand why anyone would bring these animals into Hawaii. Our ecosystem is very delicate and it’s difficult to believe that anyone living here doesn’t realize the threat alien species such as snakes pose. It is tempting to consider these thoughtless, selfish folks sociopaths and treat them as such. The penalties for bringing these “pets” into Hawaii should be severe enough that the perpetrators finally get the message we’re not going to put up with their eco-terrorism. In our book, anyone who knowingly threatens the beautiful animals of Hawaii is a felon.
Anyone seeing a snake should call police at 244-6400. Biologist Duvall said not to pick the snake up, but to try to keep it corralled until his team arrives on the scene. Lacking that, he said, “Kill it. . . . Take a heavy rock and smash it. Break its back or smash its head. It doesn’t help anyone to say, ’I saw it, but I don’t know where it is now.’”
The stakes are too high to let these slithering creatures become established on Maui.
