Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
State wildlife officials are considering tighter rules for owning venomous reptiles– or possibly banning ownership altogether.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Nick Wiley says recent escapes of cobras have prompted the agency to ramp up inspections of people with permits for venomous reptiles or other conditional snake species such as anacondas.
Wiley said permit holders will be contacted for their input.
He expects to present the commission’s findings at a meeting in the spring.
In November, wildlife commission officers captured a 5-foot Asian Monocled Cobra after it escaped from its owner’s home in the Fort Meyers area.
In October, an 8-foot king cobra was found one month after escaping from its home in the Orlando area.
