Section 40. Importation requirements, possession and sale of nonnative (exotic) animals

A. Permit required. A special permit is required and may be issued by the department, if consistent with the department's fish and wildlife management program, to import, possess, or sell those nonnative (exotic) animals listed below and in 4VAC15-20-210 that the board finds and declares to be predatory or undesirable within the meaning and intent of § 29.1-542 of the Code of Virginia, in that their introduction into the Commonwealth will be detrimental to the native fish and wildlife resources of Virginia.

AMPHIBIANS
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Anura	Bufonidae	Rhinella marina	Cane toad*
	Pipidae	Hymenochirus spp. Pseudohymenochiris merlini	African dwarf frog
		Xenopus spp.	Tongueless or African clawed frog
Caudata	Ambystomatidae	All species	All mole salamanders
BIRDS
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Psittaciformes	Psittacidae	Myiopsitta monachus	Monk parakeet*
Anseriformes	Anatidae	Cygnus olor	Mute swan
FISH
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Cypriniformes	Catostomidae	Catostomus microps	Modoc sucker
		Catostomus santaanae	Santa Ana sucker
		Catostomus warnerensis	Warner sucker
		Ictiobus bubalus	Smallmouth* buffalo
		I. cyprinellus	Bigmouth* buffalo
		I. niger	Black buffalo*
	Characidae	Pygopristis spp. Pygocentrus spp. Rooseveltiella spp. Serrasalmo spp. Serrasalmus spp. Taddyella spp.	Piranhas
	Cobitidae	Misgurnus anguillicaudatus	Oriental weatherfish
	Cyprinidae	Aristichyhys nobilis	Bighead carp*
		Chrosomus saylori	Laurel dace
		Ctenopharyngodon idella	Grass carp or white amur
		Cyprinella caerulea	Blue shiner
		Cyprinella formosa	Beautiful shiner
		Cyprinella lutrensis	Red shiner
		Hypophthalmichthys molitrix	Silver carp*
		Mylopharyngodom piceus	Black carp*
		Notropis albizonatus	Palezone shiner
		Notropis cahabae	Cahaba shiner
		Notropis girardi	Arkansas River shiner
		Notropis mekistocholas	Cape Fear shiner
		Notropis simus pecosensis	Pecos bluntnose shiner
		Notropis topeka (= tristis)	Topeka shiner
		Phoxinus cumberlandensis	Blackside dace
		Rhinichthys osculus lethoporus	Independence Valley speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis	Ash Meadows speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus oligoporus	Clover Valley speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus ssp.	Foskett speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus thermalis	Kendall Warm Springs dace
		Scardinius erythrophthalmus	Rudd
		Tinca tinca	Tench*
Cyprinodontiformes	Poeciliidae	Gambusia gaigei	Big Bend gambusia
		Gambusia georgei	San Marcos gambusia
		Gambusia heterochir	Clear Creek gambusia
		Gambusia nobilis	Pecos gambusia
		Peociliopsis occidentalis	Gila topminnow
Gasterosteiformes	Gasterosteidae	Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni	Unarmored threespine stickleback
Gobiesociformes	Gobiidae	Proterorhinus marmoratus	Tubenose goby
		Neogobius melanostomus	Round goby
Perciformes	Channidae	Channa spp. Parachanna spp.	Snakeheads
	Cichlidae	Tilapia spp.	Tilapia
		Gymnocephalus cernuum	Ruffe*
	Elassomatidae	Elassoma alabamae	Spring pygmy sunfish
	Percidae	Crystallaria cincotta	Diamond darter
		Etheostoma chermocki	Vermilion darter
		Etheostoma boschungi	Slackwater darter
		Etheostoma chienense	Relict darter
		Etheostoma etowahae	Etowah darter
		Etheostoma fonticola	Fountain darter
		Etheostoma moorei	Yellowcheek darter
		Etheostoma nianguae	Niangua darter
		Etheostoma nuchale	Watercress darter
		Etheostoma okaloosae	Okaloosa darter
		Etheostoma phytophilum	Rush darter
		Etheostoma rubrum	Bayou darter
		Etheostoma scotti	Cherokee darter
		Etheostoma sp.	Bluemask (= jewel) darter
		Etheostoma susanae	Cumberland darter
		Etheostoma wapiti	Boulder darter
		Percina antesella	Amber darter
		Percina aurolineata	Goldline darter
		Percina jenkinsi	Conasauga logperch
		Percina pantherina	Leopard darter
		Percina tanasi	Snail darter
Scorpaeniformes	Cottidae	Cottus sp.	Grotto sculpin
		Cottus paulus (= pygmaeus)	Pygmy sculpin
Siluriformes	Clariidae	All species	Air-breathing catfish
	Ictaluridae	Noturus baileyi	Smoky madtom
		Noturus crypticus	Chucky madtom
		Noturus placidus	Neosho madtom
		Noturus stanauli	Pygmy madtom
		Noturus trautmani	Scioto madtom
Synbranchiformes	Synbranchidae	Monopterus albus	Swamp eel
MAMMALS
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Artiodactyla	Suidae	All Species	Pigs or Hogs*
	Cervidae	All Species	Deer*
Carnivora	Canidae	All Species	Wild Dogs,* Wolves, Coyotes or Coyote hybrids, Jackals and Foxes
	Ursidae	All Species	Bears*
	Procyonidae	All Species	Raccoons and* Relatives
	Mustelidae	All Species	Weasels, Badgers,* Skunks and Otters
		(except Mustela putorius furo)	Ferret
	Viverridae	All Species	Civets, Genets,* Lingsangs, Mongooses, and Fossas
	Herpestidae	All Species	Mongooses*
	Hyaenidae	All Species	Hyenas and Aardwolves*
	Felidae	All Species	Cats*
Chiroptera		All Species	Bats*
Lagomorpha	Lepridae	Brachylagus idahoensis	Pygmy rabbit
		Lepus europeaeous	European hare
		Oryctolagus cuniculus	European rabbit
		Sylvilagus bachmani riparius	Riparian brush rabbit
		Sylvilagus palustris hefneri	Lower Keys marsh rabbit
Rodentia		All species native to Africa	All species native to Africa
	Dipodidae	Zapus hudsonius preblei	Preble's meadow jumping mouse
	Muridae	Microtus californicus scirpensis	Amargosa vole
		Microtus mexicanus hualpaiensis	Hualapai Mexican vole
		Microtus pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli	Florida salt marsh vole
		Neotoma floridana smalli	Key Largo woodrat
		Neotoma fuscipes riparia	Riparian (= San Joaquin Valley) woodrat
		Oryzomys palustris natator	Rice rat
		Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola	Key Largo cotton mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus allophrys	Choctawhatchee beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus ammobates	Alabama beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris	Southeastern beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis	St. Andrew beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus phasma	Anastasia Island beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis	Perdido Key beach mouse
		Reithrodontomys raviventris	Salt marsh harvest mouse
	Heteromyidae	Dipodomys heermanni morroensis	Morro Bay kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys ingens	Giant kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys merriami parvus	San Bernadino Merriam's kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys nitratoides exilis	Fresno kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides	Tipton kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys stephensi (including D. cascus)	Stephens' kangaroo rat
		Perognathus longimembris pacificus	Pacific pocket mouse
	Sciuridae	Cynomys spp.	Prairie dogs
		Spermophilus brunneus brunneus	Northern Idaho ground squirrel
		Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis	Mount Graham red squirrel
Soricomorpha	Soricidae	Sorex ornatus relictus	Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew
MOLLUSKS
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Neotaenioglossa	Hydrobiidae	Potamopyrgus antipodarum	New Zealand mudsnail
Veneroida	Dreissenidae	Dreissena bugensis	Quagga mussel
		Dreissena polymorpha	Zebra mussel
REPTILES
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Crocodilia	Alligatoridae	All species	Alligators, caimans*
	Crocodylidae	All species	Crocodiles*
	Gavialidae	All species	Gavials*
Squamata	Colubridae	Boiga irregularis	Brown tree snake*
CRUSTACEANS
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Decapoda	Cambaridae	Cambarus aculabrum	Cave crayfish
		Cambarus zophonastes	Cave crayfish
		Orconectes rusticus	Rusty crayfish
		Orconectes shoupi	Nashville crayfish
		Pacifastacus fortis	Shasta crayfish
		Procambarus sp.	Marbled crayfish
	Parastacidae	Cherax spp.	Australian crayfish
	Varunidea	Eriocheir sinensis	Chinese mitten crab

B. Temporary possession permit for certain animals. Notwithstanding the permitting requirements of subsection A of this section, a person, company or corporation possessing any nonnative (exotic) animal, designated with an asterisk (*) in subsection A of this section, prior to July 1, 1992, must declare such possession in writing to the department by January 1, 1993. This written declaration shall serve as a permit for possession only, is not transferable, and must be renewed every five years. This written declaration must include species name, common name, number of individuals, date or dates acquired, sex (if possible), estimated age, height or length, and other characteristics such as bands and band numbers, tattoos, registration numbers, coloration, and specific markings. Possession transfer will require a new permit according to the requirements of this subsection.

C. Exception for certain monk parakeets. A permit is not required for monk parakeets (quakers) that have been captive bred and are closed-banded with a seamless band.

D. Exception for parts or products. A permit is not required for parts or products of those nonnative (exotic) animals listed in subsection A of this section that may be used for personal use, in the manufacture of products, or used in scientific research, provided that such parts or products be packaged outside the Commonwealth by any person, company, or corporation duly licensed by the state in which the parts originate. Such packages may be transported into the Commonwealth, consistent with other state laws and regulations, so long as the original package remains unbroken, unopened and intact until its point of destination is reached. Documentation concerning the type and cost of the animal parts ordered, the purpose and date of the order, point and date of shipping, and date of receiving shall be kept by the person, business or institution ordering such nonnative (exotic) animal parts. Such documentation shall be open to inspection by a representative of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

E. Exception for prairie dogs. The effective date of listing of prairie dogs under subsection A of this section shall be January 1, 1998. Prairie dogs possessed in captivity in Virginia on December 31, 1997, may be maintained in captivity until the animals' deaths, but they may not be sold on or after January 1, 1998, without a permit.

F. Exception for snakehead fish. Anglers may legally harvest snakehead fish of the family Channidae, provided that they immediately kill such fish and that they notify the department, as soon as practicable, of such actions.

G. Exception for feral hogs. Anyone may legally trap feral hogs with written permission of the landowner, provided that any trapped hogs are not removed from the trap site alive and are killed immediately.

H. Exception for grass carp. Anglers may legally harvest grass carp of the family Cyprinidae from public waters of the Commonwealth, except from department-owned or department-controlled lakes, provided that anglers ensure that harvested grass carp are dead.

I. All other nonnative (exotic) animals. All other nonnative (exotic) animals not listed in subsection A of this section may be possessed, purchased, and sold; provided, that such animals shall be subject to all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations, including those that apply to threatened/endangered species, and further provided, that such animals shall not be liberated within the Commonwealth.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR325-01-2 § 4, eff. July 15, 1992; amended, Volume 12, Issue 04, eff. January 1, 1996; Volume 13, Issue 05, eff. January 1, 1997; Volume 13, Issue 18, subsections A through E and G eff. July 1, 1997, subsection F eff. January 1, 1998; Volume 17, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2001; Volume 19, Issue 05, eff. January 1, 2003; Volume 19, Issue 07, eff. November 25, 2002; Volume 19, Issue 25, eff. July 30, 2003; Volume 22, Issue 06, eff. December 1, 2005; Volume 24, Issue 10, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 27, Issue 10, eff. January 1, 2011; Volume 29, Issue 09, eff. January 1, 2013; Volume 30, Issue 24, eff. August 1, 2014; Volume 31, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2015; Volume 33, Issue 10, eff. January 1, 2017.

Statutory Authority

§ 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.