Australian Man Fined for Keeping 86 Exotic Snakes

MOE, Victoria, Australia, January 28, 2004 (ENS) - An illegal stash of 86 exotic snakes found in the home of a Victorian man could have posed environmental dangers if the reptiles had gotten loose before authorities closed in, a magistrate's court in Moe was told.

Peter Bauden-Distel pleaded guilty January 20 in Moe Magistrate's Court to charges relating to possession of regulated specimens found in a raid of his Churchill home last May by officers from the Victoria state Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), the state Department of Primary Industries, the Australian Customs Service, and the Victoria Police.

Milksnake found in the home of Peter Bauden-Distel (Photos courtesy Australia Customs Service)

Bauden-Distel was fined $4,300, plus $357 costs, over 10 Commonwealth charges relating to the exotic snakes. The four state charges over the native snakes drew finds of $900 and $222 costs, making a total of $5,779 (US$4,489).

Keith Larner, the Department of Sustainability and Environment's senior investigator for exotic wildlife, said this could be the biggest illegal collection ever uncovered, and there are good reasons why the keeping of exotic reptiles is prohibited under both state and federal law.

"The environmental risks associated with the trade in exotic wildlife are huge," Larner said.

"If these snakes became established in the wild they could prey upon native wildlife and compete with native species. Several exotic snakes have been found in the wild in New South Wales," he said, "and that’s a serious concern to environment agencies."

An albino kingsnake found in Bauden-Distel's home

The origin of most illegally traded exotic reptiles is unknown, but if they are not native to Australia, Customs officers are watching for them at the border, said Customs Victorian Regional Manager, Jaclyne Fisher.

“Customs actively enforces the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act at the border, and offenders can expect to face the full force of the law if they attempt to import or export regulated specimens without the appropriate authority,” she said.

DSE investigators share intelligence with state and federal agencies such as Customs and the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage on the illegal wildlife trade and more seizures can be expected in the future, Fisher said.

The DSE is encouraging people illegally holding exotic reptiles to call the department to make arrangements to hand them over to authorities.