FWC moves forward with changes to nuisance wildlife rule
News Release
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Media contact: Patricia Behnke, 850-251-2130
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) approved changes to the nuisance wildlife rule at
Wednesday's Commission meeting in Apalachicola.
The most significant change offers an option other
than euthanasia for live-captured nuisance wildlife. Previously,
captured nuisance wildlife could only be released on the same
property where capture occurred or transported for purposes of
euthanasia. Under the change, relocating nuisance animals to
another site will be allowed under certain circumstances. The
nuisance wildlife must be native to Florida, and the release site
must be at least 40 contiguous acres and within the same county
where it was captured. Written permission of the landowner must be
received before releasing the animal. Also, transportation of the
animal may not violate any rabies alert or area quarantine by
county health or animal control authorities.
The FWC received many requests from the public to
remove bobcats from the nuisance-wildlife rule, but staff
recommended a clarification instead. Under the changed rule bobcats
may be taken as nuisance animals only when they pose a threat to
public safety or are causing, or about to cause, property
damage.
The changed rule now requires that live traps and
snares used to capture nuisance wildlife be inspected at least once
every 24 hours, and live-trapped nuisance wildlife must be released
or euthanized within 24 hours. The change also allows euthanasia as
described by both the American Veterinary Medical Association and
the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.
The rule now clarifies that chemical repellents are
not approved as an "exclusion device" for bats.
For more information on the FWC's nuisance wildlife
rule, go to MyFWC.com/License.
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