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Great Apes and the Law
Maps of State Laws
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Bear: Related Statutes
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Statute Name
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Citation
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Summary
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AK - Hunting - An Act Prohibiting the Shooting of Wolves and Grizzly Bears with the Use of Aircraft (05HUNT petition measure)
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05-HUNT
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This 2008 measure was an initiated state statute presented to voters in August of 2008. The measure would have prohibited shooting of a free-ranging wolf, wolverine, or grizzly bear the same day that the person has been airborne. It was defeated by a margin of 44.4% for the measure and 55.6% against on August 26th.
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AK - Baiting - Prohibiting Bear Baiting or Feeding (2004 Ballot Measure 3)
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Alaska 2004 Ballot Measure 3
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This Alaska ballot measure was defeated in the November 2004 election by an 18% margin. It would have made it illegal for a person to bait or intentionally feed a bear for purposes of hunting, viewing, or photographing the bear. A person who violated this proposed law would have been guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one-year imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
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AL - Bear Protection - Legislative findings. Prohibited activities; exceptions; applicability; penalties.
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AL ST § 9-11-480 to 481
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These Alabama statutes were signed into law in 2001. The laws declare that black bears are a species that require special protection in the state and make it illegal to hunt, wound, injure, kill, trap, collect, or capture a black bear, or to attempt to engage in that conduct during the closed season for black bear. It also makes it illegal to sell or purchase bear parts.
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AR - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty/Animal Fighting Laws
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AR ST § 5-62-101 -126; 5-14-122
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This section contains the Arkansas anti-cruelty and animal fighting provisions. A person commits a misdemeanor if he or she knowingly abandons any animal, subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment, fails to supply an animal in his or her custody with a sufficient quantity of wholesome food and water, fails to provide an animal in his or her custody with adequate shelter, kills or injures any animal belonging to another without legal privilege or consent of the owner, or carries an animal in or upon any motorized vehicle or boat in a cruel or inhumane manner. Aggravated cruelty to a cat, dog, or horse is a Class D felony if the offense involves the torture.
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CA - Hunting Bears - Chapter 9. Bear
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CA FISH & G § 4750 - 4763
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These sections outline the requirements for taking a bear in California. It is unlawful, for example, to take any bear with a firearm, trap, or bow and arrow without first procuring a license tag authorizing the taking. These sections list the license requirements and other restrictions on the method of taking, including penalties for violations.
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CO - Wildlife trade - Illegal sale of wildlife; penalties
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CO ST § 33-6-113
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Colorado statute addressing illegal sale of wildlife, including bears.
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CT - Exotic Pets - § 26-40a. Possession of potentially dangerous animal; Chapter 490. Fisheries and Game
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CT ST § 26-1, § 26-40a; § 26-54, 55, 61
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These Connecticut states reflect the state's laws on the keeping of wild animals. Under § 26-40a, no person shall possess a potentially dangerous animal, which includes wildlife such as the lion, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, ocelot, jaguarundi cat, puma, lynx, bobcat, wolf, coyote, all species of bears, gorilla, chimpanzee and orangutan. The Department of Environmental Protection shall issue a bill to the owner or person in illegal possession of such potentially dangerous animal for all costs of seizure, care, maintenance, relocation or disposal of such animal. Additionally, any person who violates any provision of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $2000, and is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Under § 26-55, no person shall import or introduce into the state, possess or let loose, any live fish, wild bird, wild mammal, reptile, amphibian or invertebrate unless such person has obtained a permit. Again, a violator is responsible for expenses from the seizure, maintenance, and relocation of the illegally imported animal. The penalty includes a civil fine up to $1000 and results in a class C misdemeanor.
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KY - Trade - Buying and selling protected wildlife
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KY ST § 150.180; 150.390; 150.990
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These statutes relate to trade in wildlife. The first statute prohibits the trade in protected wildlife. The next law prohibits the hunting of bears. Finally, the Kentucky statute providing punishment for violation of aforementioned statutes is provided.
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LA - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes
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LSA-R.S. 14:102 - .26
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These Louisiana statutes comprise the state's anti-cruelty provisions. The term "cruel" is defined in the first section every act or failure to act whereby unjustifiable physical pain or suffering is caused or permitted. The crime of cruelty to animals is subdivided into simple cruelty or aggravated cruelty. Simple cruelty occurs when a person intentionally or with criminal negligence overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, or overworks, torments, cruelly beats, or unjustifiably injures, or, having charge, custody, or possession of any animal, either as owner or otherwise, unjustifiably fails to provide any living animal with proper food, proper drink, proper shelter, or proper veterinary care.
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MD - Hunting - Maryland Initiative Summaries from API
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HB 9, 10, and 377
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These summaries for Maryland house bills 9, 10, and 377 were drafted by the Animal Protection Institute and list potential ramifications for passage or rejection of the proposed bills. The bills concern changing hunting regulations to allow hunting on Sundays, further management measures for black bears, and the banning of steel leg-hold traps.
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MD - Hunting - Subtitle 9. Captive Wildlife.
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MD NAT RES § 10-901 - 911
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This Maryland statute states that it is in the state's public interest to preserve native species by strictly regulating the possession, importation, exportation, breeding, raising, protection, rehabilitation, hunting, killing, trapping, capture, purchase, or sale of certain wildlife which pose a possibility of harm to native wildlife.
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ME - Hunting - 2004 Question 2 Citizen Initiative - An Act Prohibiting Certain Bear Hunting Practices
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Maine 2004 Question 2 Citizen Initiative
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This Maine citizen initiated was defeated in the November 2004 election. The question posed to voters asked voters, "Do you want to make it a crime to hunt bears with bait, traps or dogs, except to protect property, public safety or for research?" As per the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions summary (see below), the initiated bill was to prohibit the use of bait to hunt or attract bear, the use of a dog to hunt or pursue bear and the use or setting of a trap to hunt or capture bear except under certain circumstances (such as by state or federal employees to kill or capture depredating bears or by commercial timber operators).
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MI - Hunting and Fishing Licenses - Chapter 324. Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
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M.C.L.A. 324.43501 - 43531
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These sections describe the required licenses for each type of game animal or aquatic species.
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MI - Hunting and Fishing Licenses, Chapter 324. Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act
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M.C.L.A. 324.43532 - 43561
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These sections describe the required licenses for each type of game animal or aquatic species.
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MN - Wildlife, possession - Chapter 97A. Game and Fish. Possession and Transportation of Wild Animals.
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MN ST § 97A.501 - 552
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These Minnesota statutes restrict possession and transportation of wild animals. No one may transport wild animals taken, bought, or sold in violation of the game and fish laws. In general, a person may not take, import, transport, or sell an endangered species of wild animal, but there are exceptions.
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MO - Exotic - Chapter 578. Miscellaneous Offenses. Large Carnivores
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V.A.M.S. 578.600 - 578.625
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The “Large Carnivore Act” pertains to large cats and bears that are nonnative to Missouri and held in captivity. The Act prohibits ownership, possession, breeding, and transportation of large carnivores (with exceptions). The Act creates civil and criminal liability for persons who own or possess a large carnivore. Violations may result in misdemeanor or felony convictions, community service work, the loss of privileges to own or possess any animal, and forfeiture of a large carnivore.
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MT - Bear - Chapter 5. Wildlife Protection. Part 3. Grizzly Bear
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MT ST 87-5-301 to 87-5-303
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These Montana statutes state that state policy is to manage grizzly bears to avoid conflicts with humans and livestock, and control distribution by trapping and lethal measures. The commission may regulate the hunting of grizzlies and establish requirements for their transportation, exportation, and importation.
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NH - Wildlife Damage - Wildlife Damage Control
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NH ST § 207:22 to 207:30
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These New Hampshire statutes establish a wildlife damages control program to respond to conflicts between wildlife and people. A person who suffers loss or damage to livestock, bees, orchards or growing crops, by bear or mountain lion, may receive compensation from the state. The statutes allow a person to kill any unprotected bird or wild animal doing damage to poultry, crops, domestic animals on the person's property.
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NV - Hunting -CHAPTER 504. MANAGEMENT AND PROPAGATION POSSESSION OF LIVE WILDLIFE
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NV ST 504.295
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Under this Nevada statute, unless otherwise provided by statute no person may possess any live wildlife unless he is licensed by the division to do so, capture live wildlife in this state to stock a commercial or noncommercial wildlife facility, or possess or release from confinement any mammal for the purposes of hunting. However, the provisions of this section do not apply to alternative livestock and products made therefrom.
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Polar Bear Protection Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)
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S. 1406
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This legislation seeks to close a loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act that currently allows American trophy hunters to bring the heads and hides of polar bears into the United States.
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US - Trade - Bear Protection Act (Lacey Act)
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H.R. 5534 (2008)
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A bill to amend the Lacey Act to extend its protections to bears illegally harvested for their gallbladders in the same manner as with respect to prohibited wildlife species.
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WY - Grizzly Bear - Article 10. Grizzly Bear Relocation
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WY ST § 23-1-1001
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This Wyoming statute requires that, when a grizzly bear is relocated, that the department must notify the sheriff and issue a press release to the media and sheriff. The press release must provide the date and location of the relocation, and the number of bears to be relocated.
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