CHAPTER 111
SCIENTIFIC COLLECTING AND WILDLIFE REHABILITATION
571—111.1(481A) Definitions.
“Educational project permit” means a permit which may authorize the holder to take and possess live state-protected birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, or invertebrates for educational or zoological displays.
“Permit holder” means an organization or person that possesses a valid permit issued by the Iowa department of natural resources under Iowa Code section 481A.65.
“Raptor” means hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, vultures, harriers, kites, accipiters, and ospreys.
“Scientific collector’s license” means a license which authorizes the holder to take, for scientific purposes only, any birds, nests, eggs or mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, invertebrates, plants or parts thereof which are protected by state regulations.
“Wildlife rehabilitation permit” means a permit which authorizes the holder to take and temporarily possess injured, sick or orphaned state-protected species of birds, mammals, amphibians or reptiles with the intent to return the animal to its natural habitat as soon as possible.
“Wildlife salvage permit” means a permit which authorizes the holder to possess, for natural resource education programs, any state-protected species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, or invertebrates which have died as the result of natural causes or accidents (i.e., road-kills, window-kills or tower-kills) or specimens which have been donated by the department of natural resources.
571—111.2(481A) Scientific collector’s license. A scientific collector’s license may, after investigation, be issued to any university, college or person engaged in a scientific project approved by the department of natural resources.
This license may be issued for a period of up to three years.
Species, numbers, geographic location, and collection methods must be identified in the application narrative and approved by the department of natural resources.
571—111.3(481A) Wildlife salvage permit. A wildlife salvage permit may be issued to any university, college, school, county conservation board, public agency, other organization or person engaged in a natural resource education program approved by the department of natural resources.
This permit may be issued for a period of up to three years.
Special approval is required for the salvage of abandoned bird nests, not including raptor nests. This permit does not authorize any taking or possession of live animals.
571—111.4(481A) Educational project permit. The following classes of educational project permits may be issued by the department:
	111.4(1) An apprentice educational project permit may be issued to a person serving a one-year internship with and being sponsored by a person possessing a master wildlife rehabilitation permit and having two years’ experience using raptors under a state or federal educational project permit, or a person possessing a master class state or federal falconry permit. This permit is required only for state and federally protected raptor species. An apprentice permit will be required for each individual providing day-to-day care and for each person presenting educational programs using live raptors. An apprentice will be limited to the possession of one American kestrel and one screech owl that are permanently crippled or human imprinted. In the case where an apprentice will be in charge of an existing facility with additional birds, the sponsor and the conservation officer must approve the possession of the additional species and individuals. This permit may be issued for a period of up to two years.
	111.4(2) A general educational project permit for protected animal species other than raptors may be issued to any university, college, school, county conservation board, public agency, other organization or person engaged in a natural resource education program approved by the department of natural resources. The limitation on the number of animals in possession shall be established by the ability of the permit holder to provide adequate facilities and care.
	111.4(3) A general educational project permit for raptors may be issued to a person who has served the appropriate apprenticeship and is recommended by the person’s sponsor; or has previously held an educational project permit for raptors issued by the Iowa department of natural resources or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; or has held a master class state and federal falconry permit within the last five years.
Any mammals, reptiles, amphibians, or fish which are not state listed endangered or threatened species and are obtained from legal sources outside the state of Iowa are exempt from these permit requirements. Proof of origin of each animal is the responsibility of the owner.
This permit may be issued for a period of up to three years.
571—111.5(481A) Wildlife rehabilitation permit. The following classes of wildlife rehabilitation permits may be issued by the department:
	111.5(1) An apprentice wildlife rehabilitation permit may be issued to a person serving a one-year internship with and being sponsored by a person possessing a master wildlife rehabilitation permit, or to a person serving a two-year internship with and being sponsored by a person possessing a general wildlife rehabilitation permit.
This permit may be issued for a period of up to two years.
	111.5(2) A general wildlife rehabilitation permit may be issued to a person who has served the appropriate apprenticeship; has graduated with a degree in veterinary medicine; or has previously held a rehabilitation permit issued by the Iowa department of natural resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or any other state natural resource agency.
A general wildlife rehabilitator may sponsor up to four apprentices.
This permit may be issued for a period of up to three years.
	111.5(3) A master wildlife rehabilitation permit may be issued to a person who has completed five consecutive years of extensive rehabilitation work and has received a recommendation from the local state conservation officer, or who is a licensed veterinarian with specific training and experience in wildlife rehabilitation. The department of natural resources may issue a master wildlife rehabilitation permit to individuals who have demonstrated special ability, knowledge, training and experience in wildlife rehabilitation.
A master wildlife rehabilitator may sponsor up to six apprentices.
This permit may be issued for a period of up to three years.
571—111.6(481A) Application qualifications. All applicants for a wildlife rehabilitation permit must possess adequate facilities to temporarily house and properly confine species held under the permit. The facilities of all applicants should follow the minimum housing guidelines as established for the various species by the National Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council in 1993, or be approved by the local state conservation officer. Applicants must provide written documentation of access to a licensed veterinarian willing to provide professional counsel to the rehabilitator. Applicants must list species or groups of species such as but not limited to: rabbits, squirrels, songbirds, snakes or turtles, for which they will be providing rehabilitation services on their permit application narrative.
The application narrative for an educational project permit must list the species and number of each species that will be held. Facilities for raptors must meet the design and size criteria listed in the 1994 Iowa Association of Naturalists’ publication “Educating With Raptors—A Resource Booklet.”
571—111.7(481A) Evaluation committee. For the purpose of evaluating facilities and standards of care employed by holders of educational project permits and wildlife rehabilitation permits, the director may establish an ad hoc committee of persons with expertise in wildlife care, rehabilitation, veterinary medicine and wildlife education. Upon request by the director, the committee shall inspect the facilities, care procedures and educational programs and provide the department with appropriate recommendations. The recommendations may be used as a basis for placing certain conditions on a permit or modifying or terminating a permit.
571—111.8(481A) Disposition of animals. Injured or orphaned animals which cannot be returned to their natural environment shall be transferred to someone with an educational project permit or, after being euthanized by or under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian, handled as follows:
	●	Transferred to someone with a scientific collector’s license or a wildlife salvage permit after obtaining permission from the local state conservation officer, or
	●	Buried or burned according to Iowa Code chapter 167.
Specimens held under a wildlife salvage permit may be transferred to someone holding a scientific collector’s license, a wildlife salvage permit, or burned or buried according to Iowa Code chapter 167 after obtaining permission from the local conservation officer.
All threatened and endangered species which have died, which must be euthanized, or which cannot be released shall be referred to the department of natural resources. The department of natural resources shall provide these specimens to persons who hold a scientific collector’s license, a wildlife salvage permit, or an educational project permit or shall provide for proper disposal.
571—111.9(481A) General conditions for permits.
	1.	Applications will not be approved for private collections or for commercial use of protected species.
	2.	Any costs incurred by the permittee for the administration of any permit authorized by this chapter of rules will be the responsibility of the permittee.
	3.	Scientific collecting licenses, wildlife salvage permits, general educational project permits, with the exception of those for raptors, will generally be issued in the name of the institution or organization. The principal collector or permit holder will be listed on the permit and be responsible for administering the license or permit. All persons collecting or working under the authority of the license or permit shall carry a copy of the permit and a letter of authorization from the principal license or permit holder.
	4.	Educational project permits for raptors and wildlife rehabilitation permits may list an institution or organization, but also must list the person or persons with the qualifications for that particular permit. These permits do not necessarily continue with the institution or organization if the person or persons listed on the permits leave. If replacement personnel with the proper qualifications for the permit or permits are found, then the permit or permits will stay in the institution’s or organization’s name.
	5.	Specimens collected or possessed under any license or permit authorized by this chapter of rules remain the property of the state of Iowa. The department of natural resources reserves the right to determine the disposition of all specimens collected under authority of these permits.
	6.	Records, facilities and inventories must be made available for inspection by officers of the department of natural resources during reasonable hours.
	7.	Records of collections and the manner in which specimens have been acquired and their disposition must be kept current at all times. Rehabilitation permits must be updated within 24 hours of the event. All other permits must be updated within 48 hours of the event.
	8.	Authorization to collect or possess endangered or threatened species requires special permission and must comply with provisions established in Iowa Code chapter 481B.
	9.	A representative of the department of natural resources must be notified within 72 hours of taking or holding of threatened or endangered species that are found dead and within 24 hours for those that are injured or sick.
	10.	A licensed rehabilitator or veterinarian must determine if a raptor is permanently crippled before it can be held under an educational project permit.
	11.	License or permit fees will be $5 for one year, $10 for two years, and $15 for three years.
	12.	Applicants for scientific collecting, wildlife rehabilitation, and educational projects must be 18 years old or provide written permission from a parent or guardian.
	13.	No animals being rehabilitated may be used for educational programs.
	14.	Applicants for scientific collecting licenses, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife salvage, and educational project permits that are requesting permission to possess, hold, or collect bird species as listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, 50 CFR 10.13 (April 5, 1985), may also be required to obtain a federal permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 481A.65.
[Filed 5/12/89, Notice 2/22/89—published 5/31/89, effective 7/5/89]
[Filed 8/14/92, Notice 5/27/92—published 9/2/92, effective 10/7/92]
[Filed 6/14/96, Notice 2/28/96—published 7/3/96, effective 10/21/96]