12/17/2021
UPDATE 5/18/22: The Argentine black and white tegu grandfathering permit has been posted. You can download the Restricted Species Permit Application at https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/License/Documents/RAPS%20Applications/Restricted_Species_Permit_Application_05092022.pdf. You must print the permit and fill it out, then mail it to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission's address listed at the bottom of the application form. There is a $10 fee for this permit, make check or money order payable to NC Wildlife Resources Commission. You must be in possession of the tegu(s) and obtain a permit (or, at minimum, submit your application with date verification) prior to August 1, 2022. You can find more information on the various exemptions at https://www.ncwildlife.org/Licensing/Other-Licenses-and-Permits/Restricted-Species-Permit.
UPDATE 2/24/22: The Commissioners voted to pass the new regulations with no discussion. We will provide updates as they become available on the new import requirements for native h**p species and the tegu grandfathering process.
Regarding tegus, the ban will become effective on August 1, 2022. Current owners must apply for a permit to keep their animals. Per an amendment, this only applies to "Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae or Tupinambis merianae)." View the amendment on page 5 at https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2022-NC-final-regs.pdf.
UPDATE 2/24/22: The Commissioners voted to pass the new regulations with no discussion. We will provide updates as they become available on the new import requirements for native h**p species and the tegu grandfathering process.
Regarding tegus, the ban will become effective on August 1, 2022. Current owners must apply for a permit to keep their animals. Per the Agency: ...it shall be lawful for private individuals in possession of a live specimen(s) of Tegu(s)(genera Salvator and Tupinambis) prior to August 1, 2022, to retain, transport, transfer, or export the animal(s) in their possession.
ALERT: North Carolina
View at https://usark.org/2022-ncrules/ for easier reading.
There will be one Virtual/Zoom hearing:
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has proposed new rules regarding keeping and importing (into North Carolina) reptiles and other animals. The biggest issues for h**petoculture in this proposal are a ban on all tegus and import permit requirement for native h**p species. There are also changes to the native turtle species regulation.
The comment deadline is January 31, 2022. The hearing dates/locations and comment submission details are below. If you have issues with or oppose any of these proposals, you must contact NCWRC and speak at the hearings for there to be any possibility of stopping overreach and unintended consequences. Remember to be civil and professional at all times!
Full NCWRC proposal:https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NC-regs-2022.pdf
NCWRC Regulation/Rule Process:https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NCWRC-Rules-Process.pdf
Here is a brief summary:
1. IMPORTATION OF WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS (15A NCAC 10B .0101 I) pages 3-4: Currently, NCWRC requires an import before bringing (importing) any ” live wild bird or wild animal” into North Carolina. NCWRC has proposed to amend this rule to read “live wild bird, wild animal, or any native reptile or amphibian.” Some native species are common in h**petoculture and have been bred under human care for decades (i.e. corn snakes). The rule name will change from IMPORTATION OF WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS to IMPORTATION OF WILD ANIMALS, BIRDS, AND NATIVE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. NCWRC has this definition for wild animals: Game animals; furbearing animals; feral swine; and all other wild mammals except marine mammals found in coastal fishing waters. In addition, this definition includes members of the following groups which are on the federal list of endangered or threatened species: wild amphibians, wild reptiles except sea turtles inhabiting and depending upon coastal fishing waters, and wild invertebrates… Wild birds: Migratory game birds; upland game birds; and all undomesticated feathered vertebrates.
2. LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN EXOTIC SPECIES (15A NCAC 10B .0123) pages 6-7: These species will be listed as prohibited: Tegu (genera Salvator and Tupinambis) and Greenhouse Frog (Eleutherodactlyus planirostris). Persons with those species prior to August 1, 2022, may “retain, transport, transfer, or export” those animals that were previously held but future acquisitions, breeding, and sales would be illegal.
3. COMMERCIAL TAKE OF CERTAIN TURTLES PROHIBITED (15A NCAC 10H .1301) page 39: A change to the current native turtle sales prohibition has been proposed. The current rule will be replaced with this text, “Buying or selling any native turtle species is prohibited except for snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) with a curved carapace length of 13 inches or greater as authorized by 15A NCAC 10B .0119.” The rule name will change from COMMERCIAL TAKE OF CERTAIN TURTLES PROHIBITED to SALE OF NATIVE TURTLES. Currently, commercial taking is illegal for many native turtle species. “Commercial taking” is defined as the taking, possession, collection, transportation, purchase or sale of five or more individuals. This currently includes 11 species and 1 subspecies (all native species in the families Emydidae and Trionychidae). The new rule would expand this prohibition to all native species. Also, currently, a scientific collection license is required to collect more than four turtles.
4. POSSESSION OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS (15A NCAC 10H .1302 P) pages 39-40: This rule has some new language including “per physical address” and “Possession permits are required for the rehabilitation of native reptiles and amphibians.”
5. WILDLIFE COLLECTORS (15A NCAC 10B .0119) pages 5-6: Changes to the Wildlife Collection License.
Public Hearings
There will be three in-person hearings (CANCELLED):
There will be one Virtual/Zoom hearing:
Date: January 20, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Register Online at https://ncwildlife-org.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_xHH2QrJXSJig4fEH0-0qgQ Webinar ID 160
983 2165 US: +1 669 254 5252 or 833 568 8864 (Toll Free)
Where to submit comments
Comments submitted by mail: Rulemaking Coordinator, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699
email: [email protected]
Talking Points and sample messaging can be found at https://usark.org/2022-ncrules/.
