Transport and Trade
This page discusses the movement of Burmese pythons from sources such as the forests and python farms of Southeast Asia to various locations where they are used in the pet trade or are processed into fashion products, such as wallets, boots, or watches.
Raw Material Source Exporters
Vietnam
The biggest state in the python trade is Vietnam. There are 486 registered python farms in Vietnam. In the ICUN study, the authors personally witnessed over 3,000 breeding female pythons. There are likely many more pythons within Vietnam. However, it is unclear if the number of pythons reported as produced from farms in Vietnam covers the entirety of exports or if illegally wild caught pythons may be laundered into the python trade through farms. Before 1996, wild caught pythons made up most of the trade. However, after the harvesting of wild pythons was banned in 1998 in Vietnam, many pythons were farmed, entirely replaced and vastly exceeding the previous number of wild caught pythons.
China
China produces 40,000 Burmese python skins per year from captive pythons for domestic consumption. These pythons are unlikely to be traded across national borders. Furthermore, this is not likely to have a dramatic impact on the environment or global snakeskin markets. This seems to be a legal trade within China.
Lao PDR
Lao PDR has a large number of Burmese python exports (29,500) and an unknown domestic trade. They also have an even larger trade in reticulated pythons. However, the Lao PDR Management Authority claimed there is no ongoing python farming in their country, as of 2011. This claim is likely untrue. There may be a thriving illegal trade in Burmese pythons in Lao that is not recorded by CITES, some of which is laundered into the system.
Thailand
Thailand has one farm that exports some reticulated and Burmese python skins. However, this is not a large portion of the market. It is unknown if there is an illegal trade occurring here.
IUCN recommends extreme skepticism with Burmese python skins from countries other than Vietnam, China, and Thailand because there are not many registered and confirmed python farms outside of these areas. They also recommend that better records of python breeding be kept. Furthermore, they recommend further investigation of harvesting of wild pythons in Southeast Asia to examine the extent of harvesting and its impacts on local Burmese python populations
This map of Burmese python shipments since 2000 reveals the global reach of the Burmese python trade. Just the legal trade extends to every continent and many nations. However, there are some areas with a higher density of Burmese python trade than other areas. In particular, Southeast Asia tends to be a source country for most Burmese python products. However, some products are sourced from countries like Russia or the United States. The United States tends to be a big importer of Burmese pythons along with the Persian/ Arabian Gulf countries, Japan, and South Korea. Many countries in central and western Europe tend to both import and export a lot of products, showing that they likely serve as processing countries for python skins, such as the manufacturing of luxury items. A few anomalies shown by this map are the large number of shipments sent from South Africa and the large number of imports to the Caucasus region.
According to CITES Shipment Data (CITES Trade Database, 2022)
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Top 3 countries by registered exports
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3 Switzerland​
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2 France
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1 Italy
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Top 3 countries by registered imports
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1 United States
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2 Japan
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3 Switzerland
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Top 3 countries by registered sources.
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1 Vietnam
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2 Thailand
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3 Laos
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Scatterplots of Imports, Exports, and Origin of Pythons
Italy, France and Switzerland export a lot of Burmese python products with fewer imports, which implies that they split up Burmese pythons, processing them into fashion products. Oppositely, the United States, Japan, and UAE tend to import way more python shipments than they export, which shows they are final demand locations for the Burmese Python trade. Singapore, China, and South Korea all have large numbers of imports and exports.
The second chart shows the large number of pythons originating and being shipped out of Vietnam. Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Czechia are most often listed as sources. This is strange because Cambodia and Laos do not have many legal exports. Additionally, Czechia is not in the range of Burmese pythons and does not have any known python ranches, so the python skins originating do not have a known source.
Sources and Purposes of Python Shipments
The first chart shows the stated purpose of various legal Burmese python shipments from 2000-2022. The most common purposes are commercial and personal by far. These categories include the pet and fashion trade.
The second chart shows the sources of the legal python trade. The most common is bred in captivity such as at a Burmese python farm. However, ranched (taken young) is extremely low. This is strange and indicates a problem in the data as many python farms raise pythons taken young from the wild as indicated in the IUCN report. (CITES Trade Database, 2022; Natusch & Lyons, n.d.). Some pythons are taken from the wild and some pythons are confiscated and shipped. These numbers include both live pythons and products made of pythons.
Burmese Python Importation and Domestic Trade in U.S.
The python and exotic pet trade in the U.S. historically has been poorly regulated, which has lead to major environmental consequences, as seen with the Burmese Python in the Florida Everglades.
Python Private Ownership
The majority of pythons being privately owned or traded in the U.S. from the 1940s to 1970s were native species; however, starting in the 1980s, python ownership and trade trended towards non-native species, including the Burmese Python. The Burmese Python gained popularity as an exotic pet due to its considerable size as one of the 5 largest snake species in the world and its supposed docile nature. The Burmese Python can grow up to 15 to 20 feet, when properly cared for and housed.
Legally obtaining a Burmese Python varies from state to state. In states like Ohio, there is little to no regulation for exotic pet trade and ownership. In states like Maryland, a person must obtain a permit and licensing to own an exotic python by paying yearly fees. These fees can range from 80$ to 200$+, depending on the state. While the Burmese Python cannot be purchased at any run-of-the-mill pet store such as PetCo or PetSmart, there are private breeders throughout the United States and online websites and forums where they can be purchase. There is little to no legislative regulation for the domestic trade or breeding of the Burmese Python.
Burmese Python trade and ownership did not become an important problem to the state or federal government until its introduction to the Florida Everglades. There were small Burmese Python populations in the Florida everglades starting in the 1980s; however, according to experts, the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992 is what allowed their populations to reproduce and grow rapidly to overwhelm the native species, as they had no natural predators. Captive snakes in private homes and zoos were released due to the damage from the storm, and some snakes were released into the wild by private owners as they grew too large or became too difficult to contain. The Burmese Python quickly became an invasive species and wreaked havoc on the environmental health of the Everglades. Currently, Burmese Python ownership, breeding, or trade in the state of Florida is strictly prohibited.
State Legislation and The Lacey Act
Florida was the first state to heavily regulate the importation and trade of the Burmese Python. Initially, The U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service passed legislation that required owners to apply for a conditional/prohibited/nonnative species permit to own a Burmese Python. Burmese Pythons fell under nonnative species; however, they are grandfathered from the nonnative species permit if the owner was in possession of the snake(s) before they were prohibited. Additionally, The U.S. FWS banned the importation of Burmese Pythons exceeding 8 feet in length.
In 2012, three large constrictor snake species, including the Burmese Python, were added to The Lacey Act. The Lacey Act was passed by the U.S. federal government to regulate wildlife trafficking and trade. This prohibited the import of any and all live Burmese Pythons. The Burmese Python was labeled as an injurious or invasive species, which pose a threat to native wildlife populations. Ownership of the Burmese Python is currently strictly prohibited in the state of Florida after the passing of the Lacey Act, unless it is otherwise grandfathered. Other states have begun to follow in Florida's footsteps by not issuing breeding permits for the Burmese Python; however, there is still little regulation for private ownership and trade of the Burmese Python in most other states.