U.S. State Laws Regarding Exotic Animals

1 Alabama ALA. ADMIN CODE r. -- Restrictions On Possession, Sale, Importation And/Or Release of Certain Animals And fish . (1) No person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association shall possess, sell, offer for sale, import, bring or cause to be brought or imported into the State of Alabama any of the following live fish or Animals : Any Walking Catfish or any other fish of the genus Clarias Any Piranha or any fish of the genus Serrasalmus Any Black Carp of the genus Mylopharyngodon Any species of Mongoose San Juan Rabbits, Jack Rabbits or any other species of wild rabbit or hare Any member of the family Cervidae (to include but not be limited to deer, elk, moose, caribou), species of coyote, species of fox, species of raccoon, species of skunk, wild rodent, or strain of wild turkey, from any area outside the State of Alabama. (2) It shall be unlawful to release any tame turkey, or any other turkey, whether wild or tame, into any of the wild areas of this State .

2 The provisions of this regulation shall not apply to any turkeys kept by any farmer or landowner of this State for normal agricultural purposes or for personal consumption. The provisions of this regulation shall not apply to any properly licensed circus or recognized zoos when such fish or Animals are owned by such circuses or zoos for the purpose of display of same to the public. (3) Nutria shall not be propagated or released in this State . No person, firm or corporation shall release any Nutria from captivity in this State or propagate any Nutria for the purpose of stocking in the wild of this State . (4) All species of sturgeon are hereby declared to be protected fish within this State and any person who shall catch a sturgeon shall immediately return it to the waters from whence it came with the least possible harm. (5) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to possess a species of sturgeon not native to Alabama waters, to introduce such a species of sturgeon to public waters of Alabama, or to offer for sale or import any such non-native sturgeon in Alabama, except by permit from the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

3 (6) It shall be unlawful to possess, sell, offer for sale, import, or release any of the following fish : Siniperca spp., Channa maculuta, or Chirrhinus molitonella. (7) It shall be unlawful for any person to have in possession any live, protected wild bird or wild animal , except by written permission of a designated employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources authorized by the Director of the Game and fish Division to issue such permits. Alaska ALASKA ADMIN. CODE tit. 5. - PERMIT FOR POSSESSING LIVE GAME. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, or in AS 16, no person may possess, import, release, export, or assist in importing, releasing, or exporting, live game, unless the person holds a possession permit issued by the department. (b) The following species, not including a hybrid of a game animal and a species listed in this subsection, may be possessed, imported, exported, bought, sold, or traded without a permit from the department but may not be released into the wild: Common Name Scientific Name Chimpanzee Pan spp.

4 Dog Canis familiaris Cat Felis catus Sheep Ovis aries Goat Capra hircus Cattle Bos taurus Oxen Bos spp. Horse Equus caballus Guinea pig Cavia porcellus Reindeer (except feral reindeer) Rangifer tarandus Var. Llama Lama peruana Alpaca Lama pacos One-humped camel Camelus dromedarius Ass Equus asinus Var. Mule Equus asinus x caballus Swine Sus scrofa Var. European ferret Mustela putorius furo European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Var. White rat Rattus norvegicus Var. albinus Mice: white, waltzing, singing, Mus musculus Var. shaker, piebald Fat-tailed gerbil Pachyuromys Gerbil Gerbillus spp. Hamster (golden) Mesocricetus auratus Chinchilla Chinchilla laniger Cavy Cavia apera Hedgehog, African Pygmy Erinaceus albiventris Chicken Gallus gallus Var. Pigeon Columbia livea Var. Any Turkey species Subfamily Meleagridinae Any Pheasant, Junglefowl or Coturnix species Subfamily Phasianinae Any Guineafowl species Subfamily Numidinae Canary Serinus canaria Var.

5 Parrot, parakeet, cockatiel, macaw, and other members of the Family Psittacidae not prohibited by federal or international law Family Psittacidae Toucan Family Ramphastidae Any New World Quail species (including Bobwhite) Subfamily Odontophorinae Mynah Acridotheres spp. Any Peafowl species Pavo spp. Any duck, goose, swan, or other migratory waterfowl which the fish and Wildlife Service determines does not require a federal permit for private ownership Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar Button "quail" Family Turnicidae in the order Gruiformes Any nonvenomous reptile (crocodile, alligator, snake, turtle, or lizard) Class Reptilia Members of the bird families Fringillidae, Turdidae, Zoster ipidae, Pycnonotidae, Timaliidae, and Ploceidae of non-Holarctic origin. Members of the bird families Columbidae and Trogonidae of non-nearctic origin. (c) The department may not issue a permit for the capture, possession, import, or export of any game animal , including a hybrid of a game animal and a species listed in (b) of this section, for use as a pet.

6 (d) Under this section, and in accordance with the definition of "game" in AS (which includes feral domestic Animals ), a (1) European ferret (Mustela putorius furo), swine (Sus scrofa Var.), or nonindigenous gallinaceous bird is feral if the animal is not under direct control of the owner, including being confined in a cage or other physical structure, or being restrained on a leash; the commissioner may capture, destroy, or dispose of any feral ferret, feral swine, or feral nonindigenous gallinaceous bird in an appropriate manner; (2) musk oxen, bison, or reindeer that is lawfully owned, or an elk held under a valid game mammal farming license, that is not confined or is not under positive control is feral unless the animal is a free-ranging animal under a State or federal grazing lease; however, (A) a person who can demonstrate ownership of the animal may pursue and capture the animal within 48 hours after the animal escapes from confinement, without needing to obtain a permit from the department.

7 (B) a person who can demonstrate ownership of the animal may pursue and capture the animal more than 48 hours after the animal escapes from confinement only if the person obtains a permit from the department; (C) any free-ranging musk oxen, bison, reindeer, or elk for which ownership cannot be demonstrated is presumed to be game; (D) for purposes of this paragraph, ownership of an animal can be demonstrated only by means of a clearly visible permanent brand, ear tag, or owner's mark on the body of the animal . (e) Any of the above species of bird, mammal, or reptile that is endangered may not be held in private ownership without a permit from the United states fish and Wildlife Service. (f) Notwithstanding (b) of this section, the following species may be temporarily released for the purpose of hunting dog or falcon training, field trials, and tests: (1) Pigeon (Columbia livia Var.); (2) Pheasant, Jungle Fowl, or Coturnix (Subfamily Phasianinae); (3) any Guineafowl species (Subfamily Numidinae); (4) any New World Quail species (including Colinus) (Subfamily Odontophorinae); (5) any duck, goose, swan, or other migratory waterfowl which the fish and Wildlife Service has determined does not require a federal permit for private ownership; (6) Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar).

8 (g) A person using live game listed in (f) of this section for the purpose of hunting dog or falcon training, field trials, or tests (1) may release the game only on the day of use and shall make reasonable efforts to capture, kill, or recover the temporarily released live game; (2) may take the live game in connection with hunting dog or falcon training, field trial, and test activities; and (3) must legally acquire, hold, and dispose of the live game in accordance with all other applicable State statutes and regulations. (h) Upon application, the board will add a species to the list in (b) of this section if there is clear and convincing evidence that the species (1) is not capable of surviving in the wild in Alaska; (2) is not capable of causing a genetic alteration of a species that is indigenous to Alaska; (3) is not capable of causing a significant reduction in the population of a species that is indigenous to Alaska; (4) is not capable of transmitting a disease to a species that is indigenous to Alaska; and (5) does not otherwise present a threat to the health or population of a species that is indigenous to Alaska.

9 (i) The board will remove a species from the list in (b) of this section, if there is a preponderance of evidence that the species (1) is capable of surviving in the wild in Alaska; (2) is capable of causing a genetic alteration of a species that is indigenous to Alaska; (3) is capable of causing a significant reduction in the population of a species that is indigenous to Alaska; (4) is capable of transmitting a disease to a species that is indigenous to Alaska; or (5) otherwise presents a threat to the health or population of a species that is indigenous to Alaska. ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ALASKA STAT. - Definitions. In AS - AS (1) "aquatic plant" means any species of plant, excluding the rushes, sedges and true grasses, growing in a marine aquatic or intertidal habitat; (2) "barter" means the exchange or trade of fish or game, or their parts, taken for subsistence uses (A) for other fish or game or their parts; or (B) for other food or for nonedible items other than money if the exchange is of a limited and noncommercial nature; (3) "a board" means either the Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game; (4) "commercial fisherman" means an individual who fishes commercially for, takes, or attempts to take fish , shellfish, or other fishery resources of the State by any means, and includes every individual aboard a boat operated for fishing purposes who participates directly or indirectly in the taking of these raw fishery products, whether participation is on shares or as an employee or otherwise.

10 However, this definition does not apply to anyone aboard a licensed vessel as a visitor or guest who does not directly or indirectly participate in the taking; "commercial fisherman" includes the crews of tenders or other floating craft used in transporting fish , but does not include processing workers on floating fish processing vessels who do not operate fishing gear or engage in activities related to navigation or operation of the vessel; in this paragraph "operate fishing gear" means to deploy or remove gear from State water, remove fish from gear during an open fishing season or period, or possess a gill net containing fish during an open fishing period; (5) "commercial fishing" means the taking, fishing for, or possession of fish , shellfish, or other fishery resources with the intent of disposing of them for profit, or by sale, barter, trade, or in commercial channels; the failure to have a valid subsistence permit in possession, if required by statute or regulation, is considered prima facie evidence of commercial fishing if commercial fishing gear as specified by regulation is involved in the taking, fishing for, or possession of fish , shellfish, or other fish resources; (6) "commissioner" means the commissioner of fish and game unless specifically provided otherwise; (7) "customary and traditional" means the noncommercial, long-term, and consistent taking of, use of, and reliance upon fish or game in a specific area and the use patterns of that fish or game that have been established over a reasonable period of time taking into consideration the availability of the fish or game; (8) "customary trade" means the limited noncommercial exchange, for minimal amounts of cash, as restricted by the appropriate board, of fish or game resources.