Snake trade in the Russian Federation

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Snake trade in the Russian Federation

• Dr. Dmitry V. Semenov
• A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution

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Biology and conservation

• Herpetofauna of Russia includes 36 species of
  snakes. More than half of them (namely 19
  species) are presented by edge populations at the
  species area borders. Only 7 species are largely
  distributed though the country. 17 species
  inhabit Asiatic part of Russian Federation. There
  are two areas of relatively high snake species
  richness Ciscaucasia and South of the Far East.

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Snakes number in different regions of Russia
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Most of the species with narrow areas in Russia
are known only by single or few exemplars and are
poorly studied. Besides few exceptions
population size and distribution area of snake
species in Russia are steady declining last
decades. The main causes of snake disappearance
are habitat destruction and pollution,
disturbance, killing because of prejudice,
catching to use as pet animals. Other treats are
road-killing, extermination by domestic or
invasive animals, and prey shortage.
5
Most of snake studies in Russia deal now with
systematics and distribution of these reptiles.
Only single researchers study demography and
population ecology of some vipers of European
part of Russia. There is no information on snake
research programs in the Asiatic part.
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Legal, management and enforcement

• Legal status of all snakes as well as other
  animals is regulated by the Federal Law N 52-FZ
  (of 24.04.1995) About the wild animals.
  Conservation of rare and endangered species is
  based on the Government decree (of 19.02.1996)
  On the Red Book of Russian Federation. There
  are a number of regional laws defining legal
  status of wild animals (including snakes) on the
  territories of each of 89 oblasts and republics
  of Russian Federation. So we have legal
  regulation of any possible human impact on snakes
  or on their habitats. The problem is in
  enforcement of the legislations.
• Federal Inspectorate of Nature Management
  implements control of these laws. But officers of
  this service use to control hunting or fishing
  and do not pay any attention on animal groups,
  which have lesser practical value.

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The Red Data Book of Russian Federation includes
threatened species divided on 6 categories, 3 of
which could be considered as properly threatened
1 critically endangered, 2 declining in
number, 3 - rare. We find in the Red Book 9
snakes of above mentioned 36 species 4 rated as
declining in number (category 2), 5 as rare
(category 3). Only two snake species from Asiatic
part of Russia are included in the Red Book. Both
are from South Far East. They are Dinodon
rufozonatum and Elaphe japonica (both rated as
rare). Only two snake species of Russian fauna
(both of genus Eryx) fall under CITES Appendix II.
8
The only real barrier for snake poaching and
illegal trade is customs. But its activity is far
from effective. Statistics of illegal import of
reptiles species named in CITES Appendixes is
following. In 1996-2003 at 10 largest Russia
airports customs recorded total 1-9 cases of
reptiles smuggling per year. Among them were
snakes Boa constrictor and Python molurus
bivittatus. It is obvious that the statistics
does not reflect the real scale of snake
smuggling. The causes of such low customs
activity are other considerations apart
difficulty of species identification and
uncertainty of the confiscated snakes fate.
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Trade and market

• Demand for snakes in Russia is relatively low. It
  largest part is kipping as terrarium pet
  animals. The most popular terrarium snakes in
  Russia are now boas and pythons, rat snakes, milk
  snakes. One could buy a terrarium snakes through
  Internet, in pet-shops or on some markets. The
  larges center of snake trade is Moscow. There are
  more than 150 pet shops here and the famous
  animal market. The snakes for sale are imported
  or come from residential private breeders. One
  could easy buy a snake caught in the wild.
• There is no effective control on inside snake
  trade.
• Others forms of snake use are zoos, circuses,
  scientific researches. In most cases import and
  export of snakes for these purposes are legally
  documented.

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Table 1. Legally registered cases of import and
export of live snakes and derivate in Russia
(2004-2009 years).
- boas for zoo, circuses or captive breeding
- live Eryx tataricus in large number or
some snakes derivate - mainly boas and
pythons especially Python molurus bivittatus and
mainly for circuses.
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In Russia snakes are used as food at very low
degree. It is known that some local people in the
Far East eat wild snakes, for instance Elaphe
schrenki. In some special restaurants in large
cities one could find dishes of snakes. It is
likely that snakes for such dishes are illegally
imported.
12
There are two small serpentariums in Russia in
Ciscaucasia and in West Siberia. Both keep
local vipers in order to receive poison for
medical and research purposes. The Caucasia
serpentarium declare also as a mission captive
breeding of endangered viperid species. But
there is no information of any success in it.
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There are also two large and world known reptiles
breeding centrums in Russia concentrating mainly
on snakes. They are Moscow and Tula zoos and have
outstanding snake collections as well as unique
skill in their breeding. Both centers conduct
researches on different aspects of snakes
systematics, biology and keeping in captivity.
Both produce a large amount of valuable snakes
which are used for exchange or for scientific
purposes. Tula Zoo also practices commercial
breeding. They sell snakes through pet-shops or
Internet as well as import them.