WILD ANIMALS

(Amended HB 1103 Signed into law 3/15/22 – Effective 7/1/22; Fees amended 1/1/22)

GENERAL

Department of natural resources regulates take, chase and possession of wild animals, which are defined as those that normally live in the wild or are not domesticated.   See species lists

• EXEMPT:
  
  • Captive bred Cervidae
    
  • Captive bred Bovidae listed as permitted animals under hunting preserves (wild sheep and goats)
    

POSSESSION, SALE, PROPAGATION, RELEASE

BANS release of captive-bred species of mammal, reptile, amphibian, or mussel into wild except as authorized.

PERMIT required to possess, propagate, sale or import protected native wildlife, wildlife dangerous to plants or animals, and endangered or threatened species. 

PERMITS: (See Detailed information)

• Bait Dealer’s License (sale/barter of live minnows or crayfish for bait) - $20 resident/$75 nonresident
  
  • Required to take, catch, sell and barter more than 500 live minnows or more than 500 live crayfish for commercial use
    

• [Mussel License repealed]
  

•  Fur Buyer’s License (buy furbearing mammals, river otters, badgers, bobcats) - $75 resident/$125 nonresident
  

• Game Breeder’s License (propagate, possess, buy, sell nonmigratory game birds and wild animals)
  
  • EXEMPT:
    
    • Hunting preserve license
      
    • Cervidae livestock operation
      
    • Captive breeding, raising, producing and marketing of martin, mink, chinchilla, and domesticated rabbits except cottontail – domestic – must register and annual reports
      
  • Noncommercial - $25
    
  • Commercial - $30
    

• Scientific Purpose License (collect/possess wild birds and eggs and nests and wild animals for scientific purposes) - $20 educational, $50 rest
  

• Falconry License - $75 – 3 years
  
  • EXEMPT: licensed out-of-state falconers
    

• Dog Training Permit (release Northern bobwhite quail or ring-necked pheasants for dog training) - FREE
  

• Field Trial Permit (conduct field trials) - $20
  

• Importation Permit (import animals for release and sale) - $20
  
  • EXEMPT:
    
    • interstate shipment
      
    • zoo, carnival, menagerie, animal dealer, pet shop, circus, or nature center
      
    • confinement and exhibit in a zoo or other public display
      

• Wild Animal Possession Permit(possess protected wild animals and those dangerous to [plants]people, domestic animals or wild animals) - $20
  
  • EXEMPT:
    
    • USDA commercial animal dealers, breeders, or exhibitors for species that can be possessed without permit
      
    • Zoological parks (AZA) [deletes local governments]
      
    • Circuses or carnivals
      
    • USDA research facilities and universities
      
    • Organization or person temporarily holding one upon request
      
    • game breeder license
      
    • scientific purposes license
      
    • wild animal rehabilitation permit
      
    • endangered species of turtle under turtle possession permit
      
    • Domestic hybrids of Class II and III
      

• Nuisance Wild Animal Control Permit (take protected wild animal causing or threatening to cause damage to property or threat to human or domestic animal health or safety) - $25
  

• Private Shooting Preserve License – $150
  
  • EXEMPT: Hunting preserves
    

• Wild Animal Rehabilitation Permit (may exhibit nonreleaseable animals with educational permit) - FREE
  
  • EXEMPT: sick, injured, or orphaned wild animals being transferred to rehabilitator within 24 hours
    

• Special Purpose Educational Permit (educational displays) - FREE
  
  • EXEMPT:
    
    • zoo, carnival, animal dealer, pet shop, circus, or nature center
      
    • reptiles and amphibians collected and possessed under 312 IAC 9-5-6
      
    • Turtle possession permits
      

• Special Purpose Salvage Permit - FREE
  

• Migratory Bird Depredation Permit (take bird damaging property or human or domestic animal health or safety threat)
  

• Fish Stocking Permit (stock state owned fish in state, waters of state, or boundary waters) - $10
  

• Fish Hauler’s and Supplier’s Permit (import or raise fish for sale except for aquarium pet trade or bait) - $15
  
  • EXEMPT:
    
    • raising, importing, or selling in aquarium pet trade
      
    • bait dealer's license exclusively selling for bait
      

• Fish Importation Permit (import fish for sale) - $20
  
  • EXEMPT: if not invasive
    
    • confinement and exhibit in zoo or another public display
      
    • supplying live fish for aquarium pet trade
      
    • Species listed as exempt
      

• Aquaculture Permit (import, raise, sell or transport fish) - $15
  
  • EXEMPT: non-invasive fish in aquarium pet trade, zoo or public display
    

• Fish Tagging or Marking Permit (mark or tag fish and release in public waters)
  
  • EXEMPT: Scientific purposes license
    

• Reptile Captive Breeding Permit (breed listed captive-born native snakes) - $30
  

•  Turtle Possession Permit (possess native turtles)
  
  • EXEMPT: Those specific turtles allowed in Section 6
    

SPECIE-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: See detailed requirements for each species

REQUIREMENTS:

• Law enforcement officer or department employee not liable for destruction of permitted animal that escapes and poses threat to public safety
  

(IC 14-22 Ch. 17, 20, 22, 23; 312 IAC 9-3 Sec. 14.5, 16, 17, 18.1, 18.2, 18.8; 312 IAC 9-4 Sec. 2, 2.5, 7.5; 312 IAC 9-5, 9-6, 9-9)

TRANSPORT AND EXPORT

BANS the take, carry, shipment, transport, and acceptance for shipment or transportation for export of protected wild animals.

EXEMPT:

• Commercial fishing device
  
• Hunting, trapping or fishing license – must be in one day during open season following possession limits
  
• Furbearing animal furs and hides
  
• Game breeders license
  
• Mussel buyer’s license
  

REQUIREMENTS:

• In-state transport and export requires the animal be enclosed in package or container marked with name and address of shipper and consignee and number and kinds of animals. 
  
• Must have the license required
  

(IC 14-22-10-3)         

 

RAPTORS

Prohibits units of local government from regulating raptors (order Falconiformes and Strigiformes except bald and golden eagles).

(IC 14-22-10-11)

 
SpecificIED Animals

(NEW SECTION added by HB 1248 Signed into law 3/11/22 – Effective 7/1/22)

BANS allowing member of the public from coming into direct contact with specified animal or allowing to enter into proximity that allows for or permits direct contact.  Includes photo opportunities when no permanent physical barrier.  Penalty is Class B infraction with fine imposed by court based on number of members of public exposed to a specified animal. 

• EXCLUDES from public:
  
  • Animal owner
    
  • Facility owner
    
  • Trained employee
    
  • Facility owner
    
  • Contractor, intern, service provider, professional production crew, or person who is accompanied by facility owner and is performing duties requiring the presence of the animal AND is under contract or engagement with facility owner
    
  • Veterinarian
    
  • Veterinary intern/specialist
    
  • Veterinary technician
    
  • Veterinary student under supervision
    
  • Trespassers
    

BANS ownership of specified animals without a USDA commercial animal dealer, breeder, or exhibitor's license. 

SPECIFIED ANIMALS: (Department may NOT add species) 

• Bear
  
• Lion
  
• Tiger
  
• Leopard
  
• Snow leopard
  
• Jaguar
  
• Mountain lion
  
• Feline hybrids of above species
  

(IC 14-22-26.5 - Added Effective 7/1/22)

nongame and ENDANGERED wildlife

BANS take, possess, transport, export, process, sale, or offer for sale or shipment of or for common or contract carrier to receive or transport nongame species in need of management, endangered indigenous wildlife, federal ESA wildlife, or other endangered species designated.

• EXEMPT: Transport to and from outside Indiana
  
• GRANDFATHERED: wildlife on 7/26/73
  

PERMIT issued to take, possess, transport, export and ship endangered wildlife for scientific, zoological or educational purposes, propagation in captivity and other purposes.

• Endangered Species Propagation Permit (breed endangered species)
  
• Limit Take Permit (take native federal endangered species)
  

LIST:

ENDANGERED MAMMALS:

• Indiana myotis
  
• Gray myotis
  
• Evening bat
  
• Allegheny woodrat
  
• Swamp rabbit
  
• Franklin's ground squirrel
  
• Little brown bat
  
• Northern long-eared myotis
  
• Tri-colored bat
  

ENDANGERED BIRDS:

• American bittern
  
• Least bittern
  
• Black-crowned night-heron
  
• Yellow-crowned night-heron
  
• Trumpeter swan
  
• Rufa red knot
  
• Northern harrier
  
• Black rail
  
• King rail
  
• Virginia rail
  
• Common moorhen
  
• Whooping crane
  
• Piping plover
  
• Upland sandpiper
  
• Least tern
  
• Black tern
  
• Barn owl
  
• Short-eared owl
  
• Sedge wren
  
• Marsh wren
  
• Loggerhead shrike
  
• Cerulean warbler
  
• Golden-winged warbler
  
• Kirtland's warbler
  
• Henslow's sparrow
  
• Yellow-headed blackbird
  
• Ruffed grouse
  

ENDANGERED REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS:

• Hellbender
  
• Red salamander
  
• Green salamander
  
• Copper-bellied watersnake
  
• Butler's gartersnake
  
• Kirtland's snake
  
• Scarletsnake
  
• Smooth greensnake
  
• Southeastern crowned snake
  
• Cottonmouth
  
• Massasauga
  
• Timber rattlesnake
  
• Eastern mud turtle
  
• Spotted turtle
  
• River cooter
  
• Alligator snapping turtle
  
• Blanding's turtle
  
• Crawfish frog
  
• Ornate box turtle
  
• Plains leopard frog
  
• Mole salamander
  

ENDANGERED FISH

• Lake sturgeon
  
• Hoosier cavefish
  
• Redside dace
  
• Variegate darter
  
• Gilt darter
  
• Greater redhorse
  
• Bantam sunfish
  
• Pallid shiner
  
• Channel darter
  
• Cisco
  
• Western sand darter
  

ENDANGERED INVERTEBRATES

• Rabbitsfoot
  
• Sheepnose
  
• Clubshell
  
• Fanshell
  
• Snuffbox
  
• Fat pocketbook
  
• Rough pigtoe
  
• White catspaw
  
• Northern riffleshell
  
• Rayed bean
  
• Round hickorynut
  

LIMITED TAKE PERMIT Requirements:

ISSUED FOR: take of state endangered species that are federal proposed or listed

ISSUED TO: individual, organization, corporation or government agency

REQUIREMENTS:

• Habitat Conservation Plan using outline provided including current status, description of area of impact, specific impacts to habitat, conservation actions to ensure no detrimental effect, schedule for actions, and guarantees of actions
  
• Have application available for 30 days for public review and comment
  
• May be revoked if provisions not enacted
  

(312 IAC 9-10-18)

ENDANGERED SPECIES PROPAGATION PERMIT requirements:

ISSUED FOR: Breeding or rearing endangered wild animals in captivity

REQUIREMENTS:

Applications:

• Information regarding health and safe handling
  
• Current and historic status of species in state
  
• Purpose of propagation
  
• Document of legal acquisition
  

General:

• May authorize release of captive-bred animal into wild or further conservation activities for restoration of species
  
• Release only if free of communicable disease, not a nuisance, not damaging to native wild animal or domesticated species or plant, capable of surviving in wild and achieving goal of release, genetically appropriate, and capable of meeting impact and management guidelines
  

(312 IAC 9-10-26)

FISH

SALE

BANS sale, barter, exchange, purchase or offering to of protected fish including those from outside the state unless otherwise provided.

• EXEMPT:
  
  • private ponds selling fish for sale, breeding or stocking
    
  • Roe bearing species (shovelnose sturgeon, paddlefish, bowfin) under permit
    
  • Sale of hatchery reared fish or fish taken outside state under commercial fishing license with tag or label – excludes roe bearing species       
    

(IC 14-22-9-7)

COMMERCIAL SHIPMENT

Shipment of fish into or within the state for commercial purposes required a dated bill of lading with species, number or poundage, origin, destination, and purchaser name and address.

Commercial import or sale of trout or salmon requires keeping commercial invoice or bill of sale for 2 years.  Canada import requires customs entry or customs brokers statement with date, quantity and purchase price of each, entry number, and seller or export name and address.

(312 IAC 9-6-11)

GIFTING

BANS gifting fish listed in fishing laws to another to stock in private lake where people pay to fish. 

(312 IAC 9-6-12)

 

WOLF HYBRIDS AND COYDOGS

• Coydog = offspring of coyote and another animal or offspring of one of those with another animal
  

• Wolf dogs = offspring of wolf and another animal or offspring of one of those with another animal
  

Coydogs and wolf dogs must be in building or secure enclosure with either roof or 6’ sides OR under control on leash up to 8’. BANS tethering. 

(IC 15-20-1-5)

 

BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH IMPORT

DOMESTIC ANIMALS

(Includes Bovidae, Camelidae, Cervidae, Equidae or Suidae)

Need certificate of veterinary inspection within 30 days for import.

• EXEMPT:
  
  • aquatic animal subject of aquaculture 
    
  • immediate slaughter
    
  • direct movement to livestock facility
    
  • approval from state veterinarian
    

REQUIREMENTS:

• CVI must have physical description of animal
  
• List on CVI any ID present
  
• Follow any restrictions or requirements
  

FERRETS

Ferrets 90 days or older need rabies vaccine in the last 12 months before import. 

• EXEMPT: immediate delivery to research or teaching facility
  

BANS import if exposed to rabies in last 12 months.

 

CERVIDS

Import requires identifying the animal, pre-entry permit, certificate of veterinary inspection within 30 days before, and meet Brucellosis, Tuberculosis and CWD requirements. 

Instate Transport: Must comply with CWD requirements or identify them if not subject to them and meet Brucellosis and Tuberculosis requirements.

 

VHS-SUSCEPTIBLE FISH

Import requires pre-entry permit and VHS-free certification as provided.  

(345 IAC 1-3)

Indiana Code      Indiana Administrative Code

INDIANA laws