Questions about Endangered Species laws and FL volunteering...

[Heceldi]

First, my goal, I'd like to get a breeding pair of Eastern Massasaugas.

I'd go into an about me section here, but this really isn't the right subforum.

Since this is my Post #1, to cover the key points:
Yes, I know they are dangerous.
Yes, I know they are endangered.
Yes, I know they are not a cuddly snake you can easily pick up and handle.

A friend of mine said bp.net is good for helping, so here goes...

From my research, it looks likes the hot licensing for Florida is fairly straight forward. The 3 hardest things for the proper licensing are 1000 hours of volunteer work, $100, and to get a veterinarian to handle the animal.

To that end, the $100 is easily enough obtained. The veterinarian issue is also quite easy, since my vet handles not only cats and dogs, but also have on staff a person trained in many Class I/II animals as well. I've called, and she would be willing to provide care, as long as I can provide paperwork showing legality.

Now, the harder part of the permit, the 1000 hours of volunteering. I've called the local zoo, and they have a years-long wait on volunteering with venomous. I intend to try calling the university monday, as the major theme of our university here is medical, in the event they handle venomous for venom research and offer volunteer roles.

Would anyone in west central Florida happen to know a few possible volunteering places that would further my licensing requirements?

Now, that license aside. I'm finding it difficult to find information on licensing requirements for obtaining and owning endangered species. The laws on the books state you need a license, but that's about it.

If it helps, the snake I'd like to obtain would be classified in Florida as a non-native venomous reptile. If I can procure a breeding pair, I would love to work with the federal park agencies and wildlife commission to arrange a release of some young back into their native wild, which covers most of the Ohio River basin.

That said, would anyone have a link that my Googlefu failed to locate regarding proper licensing for owning captive non-native endagered?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[pilot511]

I live in S. FL...your best bet is to find people with private collections or pet shops that have venomous, thats how I got my hours....Once you get your hours you need the $100, a letter of recommendation from your mentor, a second letter from anyone, a documented 1000hours and a list of all the species you have worked with.
The 1000 hours must be obtained in over a years time and your list of species better be at least a page long. Once you have all this you need a snake room with approved caging, a member of FWC will come and inspect it (Vision cages with locks are perfect) and you need to provide the state with a species list of what you have. Once you have your permit you can own w/e you want in FL.

[wolfy-hound]

There's a venom lab down just past Daytona(I think), and I know there was a place up in the south part of Jacksonville. But that far down south, I'm not certain.

You'd probably want to ask the state about endangered status. I'm pretty sure that endangered species are completely protected from being owned unless you have a species license to own endangered species, but I don't know if that's only Florida species, only internationally listed species or what. I know that you need a special license for say.. Galapogoes tortoises.. but they are internationally protected, see? Because the species you want to keep are endangered in another state, are they endangered over the entire US? I mean listed by law, not actual numbers in the wild.

If you are not sure that you cannot release the species back into the wild, you might want to rethink breeding very many unless you have legal people who will buy the hatchlings. I know that some venom labs would buy some to keep for milking(that one down around Daytona takes wonderful care of their snakes), and there will probably be some venomous keepers that want some and have the right papers.

Good luck!! I hope you find some place close to you to volunteer.