As the reptile community battles to prevent the federal government from adding nine new species of constrictor snakes to the Lacey Act, AOL News breaks with a story supporting out efforts.

The pending regulations would result in the loss of thousands of jobs and endanger an estimated $1.4 billion in national and international trade of captive-bred snakes, according to the United States Association of Reptile Keepers.

Calling the proposed rule "the wrong action," the group said in a statement last week that, if enacted, the law would have "no significant effect on the solution of current or future problems posed by the constrictor snakes."

The U.S. is largest producer of captive-bred reptiles worldwide, responsible for 80 percent of global trade, Andrew Wyatt, president and CEO of USARK told AOL Jobs in an interview.

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The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that $3.6 million to $10.7 million will be lost from retail sales of such snakes by companies or individuals, although some reports have put the loss as high as $1.8 billion.

The economic impact extends well beyond the obvious pet-related businesses, which is why there is such variation in the numbers. To check out the full article, click here.