Wildlife is an important and cherished element of our natural heritage in the United States. But state and federal laws governing the ways we interact with wildlife can be complex to interpret and apply. Ten years ago, Wildlife Law: A Primer was the first book to lucidly explain wildlife law for readers with little or no legal training who needed to understand its intricacies. Today, navigating this legal terrain is trickier than ever as habitat for wildlife shrinks, technology gives us new ways to seek out wildlife, and unwanted human-wildlife interactions occur more frequently, sometimes with alarming and tragic outcomes. This revised and expanded second edition retains key sections from the first edition, describing basic legal concepts while offering important updates that address recent legal topics. New chapters cover timely issues such as private wildlife reserves and game ranches, and the increased prominence of nuisance species as well as an expanded discussion of the Endangered Species Act, now more than 40 years old. Chapter sidebars showcase pertinent legal cases illustrating real-world application of the legal concepts covered in the main text. Accessibly written, this is an essential, groundbreaking reference for professors and students in natural resource and wildlife programs, land owners, and wildlife professionals.

Wildlife Law is a comprehensive and readable primer that provides an overview of U.S. wildlife law for a broad audience, including professionals who work with wildlife or who manage wildlife habitat, students across the spectrum of natural resource courses, landowners, developers, hunters, guides, and those associated with the field of private game ranching. Authors Eric T. Freyfogle and Dale D. Goble are legal scholars who are experts in wildlife law. This book is the first ever to survey the entire field, covering state and federal law with a strong grounding in wildlife science. The writing style is lively and engaging, with descriptions of unusual and intriguing cases that illustrate key points and bring to life the importance and intricacies of the field. The book includes thirteen chapters on topics such as • what wildlife law is, what it covers, and what it seeks to achieve; • constitutional issues and key federal statutes; • wildlife liability issues, from spider bites to escaped zoo animals; • state game laws, hunting and fishing rights of Indian tribes; • and the Endangered Species Act. Wildlife Law fills a long-standing gap in the literature and introduces readers to the basics of wildlife law while exploring such current controversies as endangered species protection, tribal fishing rights, game ranches, and the challenges of constructing wildlife corridors. It is a much-needed addition to the bookshelf of everyone working with or concerned about wildlife in the United States.

This one-of-a-kind text is a practical guide to real-life situations and issues encountered by wildlife conservation and law enforcement professionals. Dramatically updated, Wildlife Law Enforcement offers an excellent balance between theoretical and practical information using real-life examples, actual case references, and hypothetical case studies.

Current law regulating wildlife is spread over a collection of Acts dating back to 1831. The original purpose of much of the law was to govern activities such as hunting and fishing, including poaching. Over the years it has expanded to conserve certain species, ensure the welfare of wildlife and protect local biodiversity from invasive species. The result is a legal landscape that is out of date, confused and often contradictory. Much of the older legislation is out of step with modern requirements, and the principal modern Act - the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - has been amended to such a degree that it is difficult for any non-specialists to use. The Commission's proposals in this consultation aim to simplify the existing complex framework, introducing a single statute which covers the species-specific law on the conservation, protection and exploitation of wildlife. The new regime would reduce the current dependency on criminal law, by allowing an appropriate mix of regulatory measures such as guidance, advice and a varied and flexible system of civil sanctions - such as fines and bans. The Commission also suggests that the introduction of statutory factors could play a role in ensuring transparent decision-making and improve the engagement of those representing competing interests. Factors would include: (1) conservation of the species about which the decision is concerned; (2) preservation and conservation of biodiversity; (3) economic implications; (4) wider social factors; and (5) the welfare of those animals potentially affected by the decision