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Introducing snakes to Ireland

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  • 06-08-2014 5:59pm
    #1
    JonKelleher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 302 ✭✭


    Would it be possible to introduce snakes to Ireland? I'm specifically referring to the types found in the UK, who are surviving in a similar climate and with similar food sources available? What would the impact be on domestic wildlife? Would it be detrimental to existing ecosystems/ food-chains?
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    #2
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,237 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    They'd probably survive here no problem but since the lack of snakes here was a natural occurrence it would make no sense to introduce them. We already have enough trouble with the likes of domestic cats and mink without introducing another non-native predator imo.


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    #3
    JonKelleher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 302 ✭✭JonKelleher


    Would it be illegal to do so? Not that I am intending to. I just find it strange that no one has.


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    #4
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,237 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    Why do you find it strange? Generally animals should only intentionally be introduced to a place if they previously went extinct.

    Any other reasons tend to end in disaster for the local wildlife, for example the introduction of possums in New Zealand to try and start a fur trade.


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    #5
    preytec
    Registered Users Posts: 190 ✭✭preytec


    Saint Patrick would not be pleased.


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    #6
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    JonKelleher wrote: »
    Would it be illegal to do so?

    Yes it would!


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    #7
    JonKelleher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 302 ✭✭JonKelleher


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Yes it would!

    Under what statute?


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    #8
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    My laptop battery is about to die, but it should be in the Irish Wildlife Act (1976) and/or Amendment (2000). Very illegal though, because those types of introductions never end well!


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    #9
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    JonKelleher wrote: »
    Under what statute?

    They've never been in Ireland. No wild snakes have wen in Ireland so introducing a non native species to Ireland is illegal and stupid. Look at the mink and the damage it is doing at the moment.


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    #10
    JonKelleher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 302 ✭✭JonKelleher


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    My laptop battery is about to die, but it should be in the Irish Wildlife Act (1976) and/or Amendment (2000). Very illegal though, because those types of introductions never end well!

    I thought as much. I've read about the situation in Florida with the accidental introduction of Burmese Pythons. Do you think something similar would happen here?


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    #11
    JonKelleher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 302 ✭✭JonKelleher


    Mickeroo wrote: »
    Why do you find it strange? Generally animals should only intentionally be introduced to a place if they previously went extinct.

    Any other reasons tend to end in disaster for the local wildlife, for example the introduction of possums in New Zealand to try and start a fur trade.

    I find it strange due to the increasing number of snakes being kept as pets in Ireland, and the fact that, inevitably, some will escape (or be dumped). I know the species generally kept are exotics who would not last long in our climate, but I thought there may have been a few adders or grass snakes at some point over the years.


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    #12
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    JonKelleher wrote: »
    I thought as much. I've read about the situation in Florida with the accidental introduction of Burmese Pythons. Do you think something similar would happen here?

    Basically kind f did. The hurricane which occurred in Florida causing the warehouse with exotic species of snakes to basically collapse and leading to snakes to escape.
    Well same thing with Ireland except that the mink were not accidentally released but were released from fur farms on purpose.
    If the likes of Burms were released here I don't think they'd all survive the weather tbh.but those that will can reproduce and we will have them everywhere. Some would die but others won't.
    I'd rather they didn't. Don't fancy been out fishing by a river only to discover a 20 foot burm chilling out beside me.


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    #13
    chopper6
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭chopper6


    There's plenty of wild turtles knocking about.

    they're usually yellow-bellied sliders that were bought at three inches long and soon grow big and can be aggressive.

    Once they get dumped into a pond or whatever they will thrive assuming they pass the first winter.

    In Dublin you can see quite large specimens in the phoenix park,the botanic gardens and st annes park to name a few.


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    #14
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    chopper6 wrote: »
    There's plenty of wild turtles knocking about.

    they're usually yellow-bellied sliders that were bought at three inches long and soon grow big and can be aggressive.

    Once they get dumped into a pond or whatever they will thrive assuming they pass the first winter.

    In Dublin you can see quite large specimens in the phoenix park,the botanic gardens and st annes park to name a few.

    Supposedly they can't breed here because it's too cold on average - so thankfully they don't thrive in that sense.


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    #15
    Stealthfins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,141 ✭✭✭Stealthfins


    There's no point in it, it'll only mess up the biodiversity of the region and cause all kinds of problems.


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    #16
    chopper6
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭chopper6


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Supposedly they can't breed here because it's too cold on average - so thankfully they don't thrive in that sense.

    I wouldn't be too sure.

    They exist in parts of north America that gets faaar colder in winter than Ireland would.


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    #17
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    chopper6 wrote: »
    I wouldn't be too sure.

    They exist in parts of north America that gets faaar colder in winter than Ireland would.

    But they'd breed during the summer I presume? What would our summers be like compared to over there, in terms of temperature and consistency?


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    #18
    Ranchu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 709 ✭✭✭Ranchu


    There is a population of slow-worms in the Burren which were introduced in the 80s or 90s so no reason grass snakes or adders wouldn't survive. They're not species that people keep as pets though. I believe their trade is illegal in the uk.


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    #19
    cerastes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    Mickeroo wrote: »
    Why do you find it strange? Generally animals should only intentionally be introduced to a place if they previously went extinct.

    Any other reasons tend to end in disaster for the local wildlife, for example the introduction of possums in New Zealand to try and start a fur trade.

    Or Stoats/weasels not sure which, but was introduced there to deal with rats, but they went for the local birdlife and then thrived.
    chopper6 wrote: »
    There's plenty of wild turtles knocking about.

    they're usually yellow-bellied sliders that were bought at three inches long and soon grow big and can be aggressive.

    Once they get dumped into a pond or whatever they will thrive assuming they pass the first winter.

    In Dublin you can see quite large specimens in the phoenix park,the botanic gardens and st annes park to name a few.

    Id be suprised if these could thrive? can they?

    Ive read somewhere about fish eggs being released in Ireland by fishermen coming here so they can have a stock of what they want to fish, which then goes on to destroy the natural fish population, not sure what can be done to stop this once it starts.


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