A GREENBANK man was fined $1500 after Biosecurity Queensland Officers confiscated three illegal exotic reptiles.
The officers raided a Goodna home in September, 2017 and found a boa constrictor, Burmese python and leopard gecko.
Biosecurity Queensland principal officer Duncan Swan warned people risked a maximum fine of $130,550 for importing foreign biosecurity threats to Queensland.
“Under the Biosecurity Act, it is an offence to deal with prohibited matter which includes keeping, possessing, feeding, distributing, importing, transporting, disposing, buying, supplying or using prohibited matter,” Mr Swan said.
“Overseas evidence clearly shows that private possession of non-native reptiles poses a significant risk to native wildlife, the environment and in some cases human life and safety.
“We know overseas in Florida, where there are no restrictions on the keeping of exotic reptiles, they have 47 exotic reptiles established in that state having a massive impact on that environment.”
Mr Swan said the environmental impacts of importing foreign species were difficult to reverse.
“Virtually all species of non-native reptiles are capable of establishing wild populations when introduced into a new environment such as Australia,” he said.
“These species also pose a significant disease risk and can readily transmit diseases to our native reptile populations with potentially catastrophic results.
“Preventing the possession of high-risk species avoids the development of large-scale, generally intractable pest problems.”
The Greenbank man was fined at Ipswich Magistrates Court.