Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the ban Tuesday on Burmese pythons, yellow anacondas and northern and southern African pythons. The snakes are also now banned from being transported across state lines.
Pythons have become a growing problem in Florida's revered swampland. Many are believed to have been pets that were dumped once they grew too big; others may have escaped from pet shops during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and have been reproducing ever since.
The snakes can grow to be 26 feet long and more than 200 pounds and threaten native species, including deer.
