Chilliwack – It’s something that you would not expect in our climate.
Conservation Officers seized a 9-foot-long Burmese Python from an undisclosed home in Chilliwack, an exotic animal that is illegal to keep as a pet in BC.
The COS, including its General Investigations Section and officers specially trained to handle exotic animals, executed a search warrant on Tuesday March 26 and safely recovered the reptile.
The seizure culminated from an ongoing investigation into the unlawful possession of the python. The python is currently being cared for at an undisclosed location as the investigation continues. Enforcement action is pending.
It is not the first time the COS has seized exotic animals – over the last decade, officers have captured cheetahs, alligators and monkeys.
Exotic animals such as pythons are known as Controlled Alien Species in BC. Controlled Alien Species are not native to BC and are not considered wildlife. The Province regulates all interactions with CAS to ensure public safety, and Conservation Officers enforce these regulations.
It is illegal for anyone in B.C. to possess, ship, transport, or breed CAS without a special permit, such as those required by zoos or aquariums.
The penalties for possession without a permit can range from fines of up to $100,000 and/or a one-year jail term. There are approximately 1,200 animal species listed as CAS in BC.
For more information, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/…/plants…/cas/list-of-species#BCCOS
