We are amending the Animal Welfare regulations by clarifying the definition of the term field study. We will clarify that a field study cannot involve an invasive procedure, harm the animals under study, or materially alter the behavior of the animals under study. As worded prior to this final rule, the definition of field study could be interpreted to mean that a field study may include one of these situations. This action will help ensure the proper use and care of animals used in field studies.
Field study means a study conducted on free-living wild animals in their natural habitat.
However, this term excludes any study that involves an invasive procedure, harms, or materially alters the behavior of an animal under study. The Animal Welfare Information Center U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service National Agricultural Library 10301 Baltimore Ave.