A Survey of Husbandry and Breeding Techniques in the Ball Python (Python regius) Pet Trade

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Cacioppo ◽  
Sean M. Perry ◽  
Kelly Rockwell ◽  
Mark A. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Pet Trade ◽  
Python Regius ◽  
Breeding Techniques

scholarly journals Searching for snakes: ball python hunting in southern Togo, West Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 13-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil D’Cruze ◽  
Lauren A. Harrington ◽  
Délagnon Assou ◽  
Delphine Ronfot ◽  
David W. Macdonald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Detailed Data ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Python Regius ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Insight Into

The ball python (Python regius) is the single most exported live CITES-listed species from Africa, with a large proportion of snakes being sourced from Togo, West Africa, officially via a system reported nationally as “ranching”. This study represents the first in-depth review of ball python hunting being carried out by rural communities in Togo for nearly 15 years. Our approach, focused at the bottom of the trade chain, permitted extensive detailed data to be collected from hunters, and provides a unique insight into the practices, drivers and impacts associated with this type of large-scale commercial wildlife trade activity. We show that ball python hunting remains an economically valuable endeavour for these rural hunters. However, it also highlights a number of potential legal, conservation and animal welfare issues associated with the current hunting practices being carried out in Togo (and neighbouring range States) to supply the snake farms and ultimately the international exotic pet trade. Our findings suggest that the methods applied on the ground do not accurately reflect those being reported to national authorities and international regulatory mechanisms such as CITES. This irregular, if not illegal, trade may also be unsustainable, as suggested by hunters reporting that there are fewer ball pythons in the wild than there were five years previously. We recommend that additional scientific investigation (focusing on the size and status of the wild population), better management, and enforcement of regulations, are required to ensure that ball python populations are managed in a sustainable, legal and traceable way.

scholarly journals Snakes and ladders: A review of ball python production in West Africa for the global pet market

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Harrington ◽  
Jennah Green ◽  
Patrick Muinde ◽  
David W. Macdonald ◽  
Mark Auliya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Live Animal ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Production Methods ◽  
Source Codes ◽  
Python Regius ◽  
Local Livelihoods ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Future Management

The ball python (Python regius) is the most traded, CITES listed, live animal exported from Africa. Recent studies have raised concerns as to whether production methods in Africa are sustainable, humane and compliant with legislation. To aid future management we explored export patterns, using the CITES and U.S. LEMIS database, for live ball pythons from across their range in West Africa to identify the main exporters and the main markets supplied, and to assess associated trends, and compliance with nationally-established export quotas. We found that export to supply the global pet trade remains almost exclusively carried out by three range countries – Benin, Ghana, and Togo. The USA was the largest importer from all three countries, although Ghana appeared to be less dependent on the USA market than either Togo or Benin, exporting to a more diverse range of countries, particularly in Asia. Between 2003 and 2017 there was a decline in annual importer-reported exports from Benin and from Ghana, but not from Togo. Ghana appears to operate as a regional trade hub, re-exporting ball pythons imported from Benin and Togo, and exports more ball pythons reported as captive-bred. Trade records from all three countries exhibited a switch from predominantly wild-sourced to predominantly ranched individuals. However, at a range-wide level, differences in the use of source codes among exporting range states, and inconsistencies in reporting of trade among range states, as well as inconsistencies in the use of source codes between exporting and importing countries, represent areas of potential concern. We recommend a regional-level policy approach for this highly sought-after species, to safeguard ball pythons and local livelihoods.

Integrating tracking and resight data enables unbiased inferences about migratory connectivity and winter range survival from archival tags

The Condor ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clark S Rushing ◽  
Aimee M Van Tatenhove ◽  
Andrew Sharp ◽  
Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez ◽  
Mary C Freeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Migratory Connectivity ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Winter Range ◽  
Archival Tags ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Unbiased Estimates ◽  
Further Development

Abstract Archival geolocators have transformed the study of small, migratory organisms but analysis of data from these devices requires bias correction because tags are only recovered from individuals that survive and are re-captured at their tagging location. We show that integrating geolocator recovery data and mark–resight data enables unbiased estimates of both migratory connectivity between breeding and nonbreeding populations and region-specific survival probabilities for wintering locations. Using simulations, we first demonstrate that an integrated Bayesian model returns unbiased estimates of transition probabilities between seasonal ranges. We also used simulations to determine how different sampling designs influence the estimability of transition probabilities. We then parameterized the model with tracking data and mark–resight data from declining Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) populations breeding in the eastern United States, hypothesized to be threatened by the illegal pet trade in parts of their Caribbean, nonbreeding range. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that male buntings wintering in Cuba were 20% less likely to return to the breeding grounds than birds wintering elsewhere in their range. Improving inferences from archival tags through proper data collection and further development of integrated models will advance our understanding of the full annual cycle ecology of migratory species.

scholarly journals Reproductive Anatomy of Chondrichthyans: Notes on Specimen Handling and Sperm Extraction. II. Sharks and Chimaeras

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2191
Author(s):  
Pablo García-Salinas ◽  
Victor Gallego ◽  
Juan F. Asturiano
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Specimen Handling ◽  
Viable Sperm ◽  
Abdominal Massage ◽  
Reproductive Anatomy ◽  
Conservation Projects ◽  
Breeding Techniques

The chondrichthyan fishes, which comprise sharks, rays, and chimaeras, are one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates on the planet. Given this situation, an additional strategy for the protection of these species could be the ex situ conservation projects developed in public aquaria and research centers. Nevertheless, to increase sustainability and to develop properly in situ reintroduction strategies, captive breeding techniques, such as sperm extraction and artificial insemination, should be developed. These techniques are commonly used in other threatened species and could be also used in chondrichthyans. However, the different reproductive morphologies found in this group can complicate both processes. Therefore, a comparison of the reproductive anatomy of eight distinct chondrichthyans, with an emphasis on those important differences when performing sperm extraction or artificial insemination, is carried out herein. Sharks and chimaeras belonging to the Scyliorhinidae, Carcharhinidae, Centrophoridae, Etmopteridae, Hexanchidae, and Chimaeridae families were obtained from commercial fisheries, public aquaria, and stranding events. In addition, the process of obtaining viable sperm samples through cannulation, abdominal massage, and oviducal gland extraction is described in detail for both living and dead animals.

scholarly journals Two‐dimensional and doppler echocardiographic evaluation in twenty‐one healthy Python regius

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara Bagardi ◽  
Edoardo Bardi ◽  
Martina Manfredi ◽  
Arianna Segala ◽  
Antonella Belfatto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Python Regius ◽  
Echocardiographic Evaluation

Approaches to common conditions of the gastrointestinal tract in pet hamsters

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Vicki Baldrey
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Support ◽  
Gastrointestinal Disease ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Positive Contrast ◽  
Abdominal Ultrasound ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Indications For Surgery ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Free Environment ◽  
The Uk

Hamsters are popular pets in the UK. The Syrian or Golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is the best known species in the pet trade, with a variety of dwarf species also encountered. Gastrointestinal disease occurs frequently, and diarrhoea is a common presenting complaint. This is most often associated with bacterial or parasitic infection, but can also be related to neoplasia or the use of certain antibiotics. Initial stabilisation of the hamster with diarrhoea should include provision of a warm stress-free environment, fluid therapy, nutritional support with an appropriate critical care diet and analgesia. Following a full history and clinical examination, further diagnostic steps include faecal parasitology and microbiology, routine biochemistry and haematology, radiography with or without positive contrast, and abdominal ultrasound. Indications for surgery include evidence of intestinal obstruction or prolapsed intussusception. This article gives an overview of the most common gastrointestinal diseases encountered in hamster species and provides a guide of how to logically approach the investigation and treatment of these cases, achievable in general practice.

scholarly journals Evolution and Application of Genome Editing Techniques for Achieving Food and Nutritional Security

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5585
Author(s):  
Sajid Fiaz ◽  
Sunny Ahmar ◽  
Sajjad Saeed ◽  
Aamir Riaz ◽  
Freddy Mora-Poblete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Stress ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Plant Breeding ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Hybrid Seed Production ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Protein System ◽  
Breeding Techniques

A world with zero hunger is possible only through a sustainable increase in food production and distribution and the elimination of poverty. Scientific, logistical, and humanitarian approaches must be employed simultaneously to ensure food security, starting with farmers and breeders and extending to policy makers and governments. The current agricultural production system is facing the challenge of sustainably increasing grain quality and yield and enhancing resistance to biotic and abiotic stress under the intensifying pressure of climate change. Under present circumstances, conventional breeding techniques are not sufficient. Innovation in plant breeding is critical in managing agricultural challenges and achieving sustainable crop production. Novel plant breeding techniques, involving a series of developments from genome editing techniques to speed breeding and the integration of omics technology, offer relevant, versatile, cost-effective, and less time-consuming ways of achieving precision in plant breeding. Opportunities to edit agriculturally significant genes now exist as a result of new genome editing techniques. These range from random (physical and chemical mutagens) to non-random meganucleases (MegaN), zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/associated protein system 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), the CRISPR system from Prevotella and Francisella1 (Cpf1), base editing (BE), and prime editing (PE). Genome editing techniques that promote crop improvement through hybrid seed production, induced apomixis, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress are prioritized when selecting for genetic gain in a restricted timeframe. The novel CRISPR-associated protein system 9 variants, namely BE and PE, can generate transgene-free plants with more frequency and are therefore being used for knocking out of genes of interest. We provide a comprehensive review of the evolution of genome editing technologies, especially the application of the third-generation genome editing technologies to achieve various plant breeding objectives within the regulatory regimes adopted by various countries. Future development and the optimization of forward and reverse genetics to achieve food security are evaluated.

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