The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has proposed extensive regulation changes regarding herps, both native and non-native. We will include some highlights below but anyone who may be affected should review the proposal.
Please understand how to read the document. Anything in plain text is current regulation. Strikethrough text is being removed. Underlined text is the new language. Some of the changes are merely wording of the current regulations. Some of it is just italicizing scientific names for species already regulated. This may seem like a lot to read but there is no way to shorten it. We have streamlined the changes for you. There are a lot of proposed changes.
Comment Information and deadline: The deadline to comment is Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
Comments may be submitted by email: klejeune@wlf.la.gov
By mail: to Keri Lejeune, LDWF State Herpetologist, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506
We have some key changes below and the full document is at https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/24-LA-Regs.pdf.
Some main changes:
- The Department claims that the changes will have “no known impact on small businesses.”
- While some injurious snake species are already regulated, the following text will be added meaning it applies to 201 species of salamanders and all other species listed as injurious under the Lacey Act. Note that this applies only to import and transport:No person shall import or transport into the state any species of reptile or amphibian, as listed as injurious wildlife under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42), and all associated rules therein.
- The Venomous and Large Constricting Snakes regulation is being renamed Nonnative Amphibians and Reptiles, and All Venomous Snakes:
- Currently, this applies to listed snakes (but not limited to those species) over 12 feet. The new length would be 8 feet.
- “Restricted snakes” = snakes species longer than 8 feet and listed venomous snakes not listed as Prohibited (see below).
- Importation and possession are currently regulated. Selling and purchasing (which are also possession) will be added.
- Same as currently, these actions shall only be allowed via permit issued by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for any covered constrictor and venomous snake species not listed as Prohibited (see below).
- Contrary to the current regulation, this permit will be required for any species that can reach over 8 feet, and not just for individual snakes that are longer than 8 feet.
- A Restricted Snake Permit will be required for possession of covered constrictor snakes, regardless of size in length.
- Restricted Snake Permits shall expire annually on the 31st day of December, and must be renewed within 30 days of the expiration date.
- A Reptile and Amphibian Wholesale/Retail Dealer’s License is required for purchasing or acquiring Restricted Snakes.
- People in possession of the Restricted Snake species listed will have 120 days from the effective date of this Rule to register those animals with the department and acquire a permit.
- A new section titled Prohibited and Restricted Nonnative Reptiles and Amphibians will be added:
- People in possession of the species listed will have 120 days from the effective date of this Rule to register those animals with the department and acquire a permit.
- All species below will be banned:
- All species in the Genera Salvator and Tupinambis, including the Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae);
- Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus);
- Savannah Monitor (Varanus exanthematicus);
- Green Iguana (Iguana iguana);
- Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei);
- Burmese Python (Python bivittatus);
- All Genera in the Family Atractaspididae (stiletto snakes);
- All species in the Genera Dispholidus (boomslangs), Thelotornis (twig snakes), and Rhabdophis (keelback snakes) of the Family Colubridae;
- All species in the Genera Naja, Ophiophagus, Pseudohaje, Aspidelaps, and Walterinnesia (cobras); Dendroaspis (mambas), Oxyuranus (taipans), and Bungarus (kraits) of the Family Elapidae;
- Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis);
- Cane Toad (Rhinella marina);
- African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis).
- See the relevant section of the document for the Prohibited Species permit requirements.
- The species below will also be labeled as Restricted and can only be possessed with a permit:
- People in possession of the species listed will have 120 days from the effective date of this Rule to register those animals with the department and acquire a permit.
- Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator);
- Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregulars);
- Brown Basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus);
- Gray’s American Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis);
- Northern Curly-tailed Lizard (Leiocephalus carinatus armouri);
- Peter’s Rock Agama (Agama picticauda).
- A point to support: It will be unlawful to release, within the state, captive or wild native or nonnative reptiles and amphibians, from within or outside the state, unless approved and permitted by the department.
- Removal or handling of native reptiles and amphibians on State Wildlife Management Areas, Refuges, and Conservation Areas is prohibited without a WMA Access Permit, Self-Clearing Permit, and a Reptile/Amphibian WMA Use Permit from the Department.
- Changes regarding the newly named Scientific Research and Collecting Permit (see document).
- Euthanasia of reptiles or amphibians shall be performed humanely following the guidelines adopted by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
- Note the many changes to the “Housing and Maintenance” section of the regulation. Below are just some of them:
- Potable water shall be accessible at all times and appropriate to meet daily requirements. (This could actually cause health issues for some species.)
- Snakes—minimum enclosure size shall be relative to the length of the body and tail and shall be ¾ that length on the longest side, and ⅓ that length on the shortest side and in height.
- Turtles and tortoises—minimum enclosure size shall be based on the straight-line carapace (top shell) length, and shall be 5 times that length on the longest side, 3 times that length on the shortest side, and 2 times that length in height.
- Lizards—minimum enclosure size shall be based relative to the length of the body and tail and shall be at least 1.5 times that length on the longest side, 1 times on the shortest side, and 1.2 times in height.
- There are a lot of changes to the Turtle Rules and Regulations:
- No person shall commercially take, possess, sell, purchase, trade, barter, or exchange, import or export native turtles, their eggs, or any parts thereof, or attempt to commercially take, possess, sell, purchase, trade, barter, exchange, import or export native turtles, their eggs, or any parts thereof.
- Subsequent to the effective date of this Rule, approval from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries via a Reptile/Amphibian Broodstock Collection Permit is required for
LDAF licensed turtle farmers to acquire native turtles from the wild, for captive breeding purposes only. (And see more regarding licensed turtle farms.) - No person shall collect or possess in the field more than 10 restricted turtles in any combination, as listed in Paragraph G.3 herein, with no individual species to exceed two per person at any time, except for the Alligator Snapping Turtle which shall be restricted to one per person per day and a possession limit of one unless approved and permitted by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for scientific, exhibition, or educational use.
- Persons engaged in collection and possession of native turtles for recreational purposes shall possess a basic recreational fishing license, including a Reptile/Amphibian WMA Use Permit, with mandatory reporting, for collection on Department of Wildlife and Fisheries owned or managed lands that shall be acquired from the department’s State Herpetologist or their designee.
- No person shall collect, possess, transport, or export prohibited turtle species (see below) unless approved and permitted by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for scientific, exhibition, or educational use. Individuals exceeding the possession limit for restricted turtles or in possession of prohibited turtles shall have 120 days from the effective date of this rule to register those turtles with the department’s State Herpetologist or their designee.
- It is unlawful to collect, possess, transport, or export any turtles designated as endangered or threatened, pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act.
- Collection of eggs of any native turtle species is prohibited.
- Possession of more than two box turtles, regardless of species, is prohibited.
- Disruption, damage, or destruction to gopher tortoise burrows is prohibited.
- List of restricted turtles:
- Snapping Turtle—Chelydra serpentina;
- Alligator Snapping Turtle—Macrochelys temminckii;
- Mississippi Mud Turtle—Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis;
- Razor-backed Musk Turtle—Sternotherus carinatus;
- Eastern Musk Turtle—Sternotherus odoratus;
- Southern Painted Turtle—Chrysemys dorsalis;
- Ouachita Map Turtle—Graptemys ouachitensis;
- Mississippi Map Turtle—Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii;
- Sabine Map Turtle—Graptemys sabinensis;
- Box Turtles—Terrapene sp.
- Eastern River Cooter—Pseudemys concinna concinna;
- Red-eared Slider—Trachemys scripta elegans;
- Smooth Softshell—Apalone mutica;
- Spiny Softshell—Apalone spinifera;
- List of Prohibited Turtles
- Stripe-necked Musk Turtle—Sternothus minor peltifer;
- Eastern Chicken Turtle—Deirochelys reticularia reticularia;
- Western Chicken Turtle—Deirochelys reticularia miaria;
- Ringed Map Turtle—Graptemys oculifera; Federally Threatened;
- Pearl River Map Turtle—Graptemys pearlensis;
- Mississippi Diamond-backed Terrapin—Malaclemys terrapin pileata;
- Gopher Tortoise—Gopherus polyphemus; Federally Threatened;
- Green Sea Turtle—Chelonia mydas; Federally Threatened;
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle—Caretta caretta; Federally Threatened;
- Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle—Lepidochelys kempii; Federally Endangered;
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle—Eretmochelys imbricata; Federally Endangered;
- Leatherback Sea Turtle—Dermochelys coriacea; Federally Endangered.
- Transport and release of turtles from within or outside of the state is prohibited unless permitted by the department.
- New turtle trap regulations.
- A Reptile and Amphibian Collector’s License is required to commercially collect and sell native reptiles and amphibians.
- A Reptile and Amphibian Wholesale/Retail Dealer’s License is required for purchasing or acquiring native reptiles and amphibians, from within or outside the state, for sale or resale, or possessing native reptiles and amphibians for propagation for sale.
- List of amphibians and reptiles that may not be killed or removed from the wild without a department-issued permit:
- Eastern Tiger Salamander—Ambystoma tigrinum;
- Four-toed Salamander—Hemidactylium scutatum;
- Valentine’s Southern Dusky Salamander—Desmognathus valentinei;
- Southeastern Dwarf Salamander—Eurycea quadridigitata;
- Southern Red-backed Salamander—Plethodon serratus;
- Webster’s Salamander—Plethodon websteri;
- Louisiana Slimy Salamander—Plethodon kisatchie;
- Mud Salamander—Pseudotriton montanus flavissimus;
- Red Salamander—Pseudotriton ruber vioscai;
- Strecker’s Chorus Frog—Pseudacris streckeri;
- Southern Crawfish Frog—Lithobates areolatus areolatus;
- Red River Mudpuppy—Necturus louisianensis;
- Southern Prairie Skink—Plestiodon septentrionalis obtusirostris;
- Western Wormsnake—Carphophis vermis;
- Common Rainbow Snake—Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma;
- Eastern Hog-nosed Snake—Heterodon platirhinos;
- Northern Mole Kingsnake—Lampropeltis rhombomaculata;
- Pinewoods Littersnake—Rhadinaea flavilata;
- Southeastern Crowned Snake—Tantilla coronata;
- Harlequin Coralsnake—Micrurus fulvius;
- Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake—Crotalus adamanteus.
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