USARK Alert: South Carolina Tegu Ban
https://usark.org/2021-sc-tegu/
ALERT: South Carolina tegu ban
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has proposed a ban on the Argentine black and white tegu. This species would be listed as Restricted Nonnative Wildlife. The regulation will include restrictions on possession, sale, offer for sale, transfer of possession, import, release, reproduction, and escape of designated species and associated permitting.
Specifically, the listing will:
1. Create restrictions for black and white tegus.
2. Allows the Department to issue permits.
3. Establish a registration period for current owners (grandfather period).
4. Require tegus to be microchipped (PIT-tagged).
5. Establish permit rules.
6. Prohibit reproduction of this species.
7. Establish caging criteria.
8. Require reporting of escapes and missing tegus.
9. States permits are void upon the death of registered tegus (no additional tegus can be kept after current, permitted animal(s) die.
10. Ban the in-state sale of tegus.
Comments may be directed to Emily Cope no later than January 25, 2021.
Emily Cope email:
[email protected]
Emily Cope phone: 803-734-3886
Mailing address: Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division, Department of Natural Resources, Post Office Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202
Read the SCDNR proposal at
https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SC-tegu-ban-2021.pdf
Read the proposed regulation text at the bottom of this alert.
Talking Points
These can be used in your comments. Please edit and personalize.
If SCDNR must regulate tegus, there must be a common-sense approach allowing responsible keepers and breeders continued trade activities.
Reptile enthusiasts want to protect our State’s environment and work with SCDNR on non-native species issues.
Tegus can be bred in South Carolina while still protecting the State’s environment.
Responsible herpetoculturists can certainly keep this species without harming South Carolina’s wildlife and environment.
Irresponsible persons should be punished but a ban that does not consider current tegu breeders is overreaching and unjust.
Responsible herpetoculturists want to address problems but SCDNR should realize that we responsible keepers are not the problem and attention should be focused on any bad actors who are causing the problems within our state.
A ban without common-sense exceptions and permits will create additional issues, such as creating an underground black market or causing additional releases.
Proposed Regulation Text
ARTICLE 5
Non-Game and Endangered Species
123-152. Regulations for Nonnative Wildlife.
The Department has determined that the species designated as Restricted Nonnative Wildlife have the potential to become established in this State in sufficient numbers so as to become a nuisance and pose a demonstrable deleterious and widespread threat to wildlife, agriculture, or human health and safety. As used in this regulation, Restricted Nonnative Wildlife and the associated Listing Date are:
Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae and, as used in this regulation, their hybrids) (listing date:[effective date of regulation])
Unless otherwise authorized by the Department, no person, firm, corporation, partnership, association, or any other entity shall possess, sell, offer for sale, transfer possession of, import, bring, release, reproduce, allow to escape, or cause to be brought or imported into the State of South Carolina any Restricted Nonnative Wildlife. Pursuant to the Department’s authority to regulate nonnative wildlife under S.C. Code Section 50-15-55, the provisions of S.C. Code Section 50-16-60 do not apply to Restricted Nonnative Wildlife.
The Department may issue a permit for the possession, import, release, reproduction, and transfer of Restricted Nonnative Wildlife for scientific and other special purposes at its discretion, provided that any such permit shall be conditioned to minimize risks of the hazardous exposure, release and proliferation of the Restricted Nonnative Wildlife.
Additional provisions for specific Restricted Nonnative Wildlife
Black and White Tegu
A person, firm, corporation, partnership, association, or any other entity possessing a Black and White Tegu has 120 days from the listing date, the Registration Period, to register the total number of Black and White Tegu in their possession with the Department and obtain a permit, as conditioned herein, in order to retain the registered animals. During the Registration Period, Black and White Tegus may be possessed, bought, sold, or transferred but may not be imported, brought, released, reproduced, or allowed to escape in South Carolina.
All Black and White Tegus must be microchipped with a unique identification number, at the owner’s expense. The unique identification number must be supplied to the Department at the time of registration and to receive a permit.
iii. Permits for registered animals are valid for three years and must be renewed within 30 days of expiration. After the Registration Period, no Black and White Tegu may be possessed without a permit issued by the Department. Permits may not be transferred. If Black and White Tegus are removed from South Carolina, the permit becomes void and must be surrendered to the Department within five days
Reproduction of permitted Black and White Tegus is not allowed.
Black and White Tegus must be kept indoors in escape proof enclosures, or outdoors in locked enclosures with primary and secondary containment barriers, each sufficient to prevent escape.
Escaped or missing Black and White Tegus must be reported to the Department within 24 hours.
vii. Upon death of the Black and White Tegu, possession permits become void and must be surrendered to the Department within five days.
Failure to comply with permit terms and conditions is a violation of these regulations. Violations of these regulations are subject to the penalties and enforcement provisions of S.C. Code Section 50-15-80.
