‘130 smuggled exotic pythons confiscated’

AMMAN — The authorities on Tuesday announced the seizure and confiscation of 130 exotic pythons, which were found in the possession of a man in the capital’s south.

The Rangers and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) on Monday found the pythons after they received reports that a man in Amman was in possession of the exotic species.

“All of the pythons were smuggled into the Kingdom for trade purposes. They were destined for the regional market, not to be sold locally,” Abdul Razzaq Hmoud, director of the RSCN’s conservation and hunting regulation section, told The Jordan Times.

The pythons differed in colour and size, Hmoud said, noting that their sizes ranged between 10 centimetres and one metre.

“There is a growing market for pythons regionally, and social media outlets are paving the way for smugglers, traders and buyers to communicate more easily,” he said, noting that Jordan is a passage for smugglers, rather than a market.

The conservationist underscored that all of the confiscated pythons are listed under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Endangered Species.

“Such pythons are being sold for a minimum of $250 or for thousands of dollars, depending on their colours,” Hmoud noted.

The Rangers are currently investigating the man who was found in possession of the pythons to reveal how they were smuggled into the Kingdom and whether he was part of a network for smuggling animal species.

“The pythons we found are not poisonous; however, they pose multiple threats to public health as they could be carrying diseases. In addition, they could also become an invasive species and negatively affect the country’s biological system if they escape and reproduce,” Hmoud noted.

The confiscated pythons were sent to a local animal welfare centre, he said, noting that they will be sent back to their native countries.