Source: https://mountainlion.org/us/CA/-CA-law.php
Timestamp: 2019-12-09 23:46:20
Document Index: 109328647

Matched Legal Cases: ['§265', '§4803', '§4802', '§402', '§265', '§4810', '§679', '§4810', '§4801', 'art 3']

MLF California Law
CAIFORNIA LAW AFFECTING LIONS
Lions were given the status of specially protected mammal under Proposition 117, a citizen led initiative passed in 1990. In 2013 and 2017, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife set forth policies to guide treatment of mountain lions in public safety and depredation situations.
On June 25, 2019, the Mountain Lion Foundation and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to list the mountain lion as a threatened or endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA)
News: Fostering Coexistence at P-22 Day On October 19, 2019, the Mountain Lion Foundation attended P- 22 Day in Griffith Park, California. Dozens of organizations come together every year to provide information about mountain lions to local citizens and to fundraise for the world's largest wildlife overpass - the Liberty Canyon Crossing. continue...
Mountain Lion Law in the State of California
In California's legal code, Puma concolor is generally referred to as "mountain lion."
In California, mountain lions are currently classified as a specially protected mammal . The mountain lion is the only species in California with this designation, and at this time there is no directive explaining how specially protected mammals should be conserved.
Under California Fish and Game Code Section 3950.1 , which became law in 1990 through Proposition 117, the mountain lion "shall not be listed as, or considered to be, a game mammal by the department or the commission." The mountain lion is also not included as a fully protected mammal , or nongame mammal in California.
Laws pertaining to California's threatened and endangered species currently do not apply to the mountain lion because the species has not been listed, however, On June 25, 2019, the Mountain Lion Foundation and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to list the mountain lion as a threatened or endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). If the mountain lion is eventually listed, the full process will take more than two years.
Generally, treatment of wildlife in the State of California is governed by the California Fish and Game Code and Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. Additionally, state and local agencies are subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under the Public Resources Code. Some federal laws also apply to California wildlife, but usually in conjunction with migratory birds or federally-listed endangered species. Since our summary below may not be completely up to date, you should be sure to review the most current laws and regulations for the State of California.
The California Fish and Game Code (state law) may be viewed online here. These statutes are searchable. Be sure to use the name "mountain lion" to accomplish your searches. The California Code of Regulations (state regulations), may be viewed online here, or click here to see every CCR section that mentions "mountain lion."
California's directory of Senators can be found here, and the directory of state Assemblymembers can be found here.
California's legislature is in session year-round, and convenes on the first Monday in January, except when New Year's Day (January 1) falls on a Sunday or Monday, in which case they meet the following Wednesday.
The California Fish and Game Commission was the first wildlife conservation agency in the United States, founded in 1870, predating even the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries. Their general regulations are outlined in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 1 and Fish and Game Code Division 1. Their rule-making process must also be in compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act. Today, the Commission oversees the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The California Fish and Game Commission has a wide range of responsibilities that continually expands and includes:
Historically, mountain lions were heavily persecuted in California, classified as a "bountied predator" from 1907 to 1963. During this time, a record 12,462 mountain lions were killed (more than any other state) and turned in for the bounty. The bounty on California's mountain lions was repealed in 1963, and the species was reclassified as a "non-protected mammal." In 1969, the state legislature again reclassified mountain lions as a "game mammal." In 1971 and 1972 California held its only sport hunting seasons on mountain lions, during which time 118 lions were killed.
In 1971, the state legislature and Governor Ronald Reagan passed legislation which placed a moratorium on the sport hunting of mountain lions. The lion hunting moratorium started on March 1, 1972.
CCR §265 (3) states "Mountain lions may not be pursued with dogs except under the provisions of a depredation permit issued pursuant to §4803 of the Fish and Game Code. Bear or bobcat may not be pursued with dogs except under the provisions of a permit issued pursuant to sections 3960.2 or 3960.4 of the Fish and Game Code. Dog training on mountain lions is prohibited."
"Nonlethal procedures" means procedures that may include, but are not limited to, capturing, pursuing, anesthetizing, temporarily possessing, temporarily injuring, marking, attaching to or surgically implanting monitoring or recognition devices, providing veterinary care, transporting, hazing, rehabilitating, releasing, or taking no action.
Additionally, CDFW may, as the department determines is necessary to protect mountain lions or the public, authorize qualified individuals, educational institutions, governmental agencies, or nongovernmental organizations to implement nonlethal procedures on a mountain lion.
The statute is further explained in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife policy titled Human / Wildlife Interactions in California: Mountain Lion Depredation, Public Safety, and Animal Welfare policy (2013) (PDF)
California's mountain lion depredation laws are described in FGC §4802-4809, and CCR §402 and §265.
CDFW is also required to undertake a complete necropsy on any returned mountain lion carcass and report the findings to the commission. These findings are to be included in an annual written report that shall be submitted to the Legislature by January 15. Past reports do not appear to be easily accessible online. CDFW's depredation information is available on the mountain lion page of their website. The United States Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services agency is contracted in most California counties to kill lions under depredation permits. Wildlife Services' records are available online, here. Scroll down and click on the pie chart under the "Animals Dispersed / illed or Euthanized / Freed" section, then in the dropdown menu select "California" to the see the number of mountain lions and other wildlife killed annually by Wildlife Services.
For most of California, if a depredation is confirmed, the local agency personnel will issue a lethal take permit to kill a mountain lion. There are currently three exceptions to this policy, the Santa Monica and Santa Ana Mountains, and if a property owner "opts in" to the new policy outside of those areas. Local research on mountain lions in these areas revealed that these two populations have become dangerously isolated and that we must take steps to preserve important genetic diversity if we are to avoid population collapse and possible extirpation. In recognition of these facts, CDFW is now providing depredation permits for landowners to use preventative tools rather than issuing lethal removal permits at the onset. This approach should provide much needed relief the local mountain lions and livestock alike!
The new 3 step policy was the result of a series of events following depredations in the Santa Monica Mountains. Assembly Member Richard Bloom authored legislation to change California depredation law, but the director of the California Department of Fish and WIldlife, Charlton Bonham, stepped in to say that the same result might be achieved by a gradual change in policy related to the broad definition of the word "take" in statute. The result is further explained in the 2017 Amendment to California Department of Fish and Wildlife policy titled Amendment to the Human / Wildlife Interactions in California: Mountain Lion Depredation, Public Safety, and Animal Welfare policy (2017) (PDF)
Contribute to the knowledge of natural wildlife ecosystems.
Minimize disruptions in the lives and movements of mountain lions and other wildlife, as well as impacts to mountain lion or other wildlife habitat, while maintaining the permitholder's research objectives.
Directly or indirectly support the sustainability and survival of mountain lion populations and healthy ecosystems.
Prevent the permanent injury or killing of any mountain lion.
Researchers are allowed to pursue, capture, temporarily possess, mark, attach to or surgically implant monitoring or recognition devices in, and provide veterinary care to mountain lions. They must follow the reporting guidelines outlined in §4810(e).
Currently approved research projects are listed here. And any proposed research projects that are in the 30-day public review period can be found here.
Additional information and research application links are available on CDFW's mountain lion research permitting webpage. A handful of published studies can be found on their mountain lion research publications page. Long-term studies have taken place in the Santa Ana Mountains and Santa Monica Mountains. More recent studies are also being conducted throughout the state.
Mountain lion rescue and rehabilitation became legal in California on January 1, 2014. Laws pertaining to wildlife rehabilitation in California are generally listed under CCR §679.
Mountain lion researchers with a valid Scientific Collecting Permit, in accordance with §4810 may also temporarily possess live mountain lions. And an individual or organization partnering with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement nonlethal procedures on a mountain lion to resolve a potential pubic safety threat (§4801.5) may also be allowed to temporarily possess a live lion.
Look at the California Law Language Itself
Division 4: Birds and Mammals
Part 3: Mammals
Chapter 10: Mountain Lions
Sections: 4800-4810
(a) The mountain lion (genus Puma) is a specially protected mammal under the laws of this state.
(b) (1) It is unlawful to take, injure, possess, transport, import, or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, except as specifically provided in this chapter or in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2116) of Division 3.
The department may remove or take any mountain lion, or authorize an appropriate local agency with public safety responsibility to remove or take any mountain lion, that is perceived to be an imminent threat to public health or safety or that is perceived by the department to be an imminent threat to the survival of any threatened, endangered, candidate, or fully protected sheep species.
(b) For purposes of this chapter, "imminent threat to public health or safety" means a situation where a mountain lion exhibits one or more aggressive behaviors directed toward a person that is not reasonably believed to be due to the presence of responders.
(c) For purposes of this chapter, "nonlethal procedures" means procedures that may include, but are not limited to, capturing, pursuing, anesthetizing, temporarily possessing, temporarily injuring, marking, attaching to or surgically implanting monitoring or recognition devices, providing veterinary care, transporting, hazing, rehabilitating, releasing, or taking no action.
Any person, or the employee or agent of a person, whose livestock or other property is being or has been injured, damaged, or destroyed by a mountain lion may report that fact to the department and request a permit to take the mountain lion.
(a) Any mountain lion that is encountered while in the act of pursuing, inflicting injury to, or killing livestock, or domestic animals, may be taken immediately by the owner of the property or the owner's employee or agent. The taking shall be reported within 72 hours to the department. The department shall investigate the depredation, and, if the mountain lion was captured, injured, or killed, the mountain lion or the entire carcass of the mountain lion which has been recovered shall be turned over to the department. Upon satisfactorily completing the investigation and receiving the mountain lion or the carcass, if recovered, the department shall issue a permit confirming that the requirements of this section have been met with respect to the particular mountain lion taken under these circumstances.
As used in this chapter, "agent" means the agent or employee of the owner of the damaged or destroyed property, any county or city predator control officer, any employee of the Animal Damage Control Section of the United States Department of Agriculture, any departmental personnel, or any authorized or permitted houndsman registered with the department as possessing the requisite experience and having no prior conviction of any provision of this code or regulation adopted pursuant to this code. A plea of nolo contendere is a conviction for purposes of this section.
Mountain lions authorized to be taken pursuant to this chapter shall be taken by the most effective means available to take the mountain lion causing the damage or destruction, except that no mountain lion shall be taken by means of poison, leg-hold or metal-jawed traps, and snares.
(1) "Authorized research project" means a research project involving mountain lions subject to a Scientific Collecting Permit issued in accordance with this section.
(2) "Permitholder" means a person to whom the department has issued a Scientific Collecting Permit in accordance with this section.
(3) "Scientific Collecting Permit" or "permit" means a permit issued pursuant to Section 1002 for a research project involving mountain lions in accordance with this section.
Commonly abbreviated as: CDFW
Charlton Bonham, Director
1419 9th Street, 12th floor
1701 Nimbus Road, Suite D
Rancho Cordoca, CA 9560
Justin.Dellinger@wildlife.ca.gov
Please write to the director and express your concern for lions in California.