Breeder of protected snakes gets six months

A snake breeder has been sentenced to six months in jail in Baoshan district for buying and selling endangered snakes online, the court said Tuesday.

The defendant, surnamed Xu, was charged for trading in snakes via an online messaging group in 2011 and 2012, according to a press release from the Baoshan District People's Court.

Xu, an animal lover, started raising snakes in 2011. He left the family's bakery business, which was his wife's family's only source of income, and bought more than 10 ball pythons from an online messaging group for snake lovers.

He kept the snakes in a spare bedroom, where they bred quickly. In 2012, Xu decided to sell some of the snakes to make ends meet.

Police later determined that Xu sold three small ball pythons for 900 yuan ($144) each in August and September 2012. In August 2013, he sold more than 30 ball pythons, earning another 15,000 yuan in profit.

Police found out about Xu after they busted a snake dealer in January who had done business with the defendant. Police searched Xu's home and confiscated 10 snakes, including a boa constrictor and nine ball pythons.

Both species of snake are listed as second-class nationally protected animals.

The court also fined Xu 5,000 yuan.