32-958. Same; definitions.
32-958
32-958. Same; definitions.As used in the nongame and endangered species conservation act:
(a) "Conserve," "conserving" and "conservation" mean the use of allmethods and procedures for the purposes of increasing the number ofindividuals within species and populations of wildlife up to the optimumcarrying capacity of their habitat and maintaining such numbers. Suchmethods and procedures include, but are not limited to, all activitiesassociated with scientific resources management such as research, census,law enforcement, habitat acquisition and maintenance, propagation, livetrapping, transplantation, regulated taking and, when and whereappropriate, the periodic or total protection of species or populations ofwildlife. With respect to threatened species and endangered species, theterms mean the use of all methods and procedures, including but not limitedto those described above, which are necessary to bring any threatened orendangered species to the point at which the methods, procedures andmeasures provided for such species pursuant to the nongameand endangered species conservation act are no longernecessary.
(b) "Ecosystem" means a system of living organisms and theirenvironment, each influencing the existence of the other and both necessaryfor the maintenance of life.
(c) "Endangered species" means any species of wildlife whose continuedexistence as a viable component of the state's wild fauna is determined tobe in jeopardy. That term also includes any species of wildlifedetermined to be an endangered species pursuant to Pub. L. No. 93-205(December 28, 1973), the endangered species act of 1973, and amendments thereto.
(d) "Nongame species" means any species of wildlife not legallyclassified a game species, furbearer, threatened species or an endangeredspecies by statute or by rule and regulation adopted pursuant to statute.
(e) "Optimum carrying capacity" means that point at which a givenhabitat can support healthy populations of wildlife species, having regardto the total ecosystem, without diminishing the ability of the habitat tocontinue that function.
(f) "Threatened species" means any species of wildlife which appearslikely, within the foreseeable future, to become an endangered species.That term also includes any species of wildlifedetermined to be athreatened species pursuant to Pub. L. No. 93-205 (December 28, 1973), theendangered species act of 1973, and amendments thereto.
(g) "Wildlife" means any member of the animal kingdom, including,without limitation, any mammal, fish, bird, amphibian, reptile, mollusk,crustacean, arthropod or other invertebrate, and includes any part,product, egg or offspring thereof, or the dead body or parts thereof.
History: L. 1975, ch. 221, § 2;L. 1989, ch. 118, § 89; July 1.