Big Cat Public Safety Act Requirements

This is a request for a new control number in conjunction with an emergency clearance request associated with the requirement to register prohibited wildlife species (also referred to as “big cats” under the authority of 16 U.S.C. § 3372(e), pursuant to the Big Cat Public Safety Act (BCPSA), Pub. L. 117-243, December 20, 2022, 136 Stat. 2336 (amending the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, and Lacey Act Amendments of 1981, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3371-3374 and § 3376, and 7 U.S.C. § 1997). The Service intends to seek emergency clearance of a new information collection under the authority of the BCPSA. “Prohibited wildlife species” (also referred to as “big cats”) is defined as “any live species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species” (16 U.S.C. § 3371(h)). This includes any of the following species, or hybrids of any of these species: Lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), jaguar (Panthera onca), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), cougar (Puma concolor) (50 CFR 14.252). The BCPSA makes it unlawful for any person to—(A) import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, or in a manner substantially affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or (B) breed or possess any live prohibited wildlife species (16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)(1)). The BCPSA also makes it unlawful for any person to attempt to commit any of these acts with prohibited wildlife species (16 U.S.C. § 3372(a)(4)). Violators of the BCPSA are subject to civil and criminal penalties (16 U.S.C. § 3373), and big cats bred, possessed, imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or purchased contrary to the provisions of the BCPSA shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States (16 U.S.C. § 3374). The BCPSA also authorizes a limited exception from the prohibition on possession for a person or entity to register live specimens of prohibited wildlife species if certain requirements are met and continue to be met (16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)(2)(E)). The exception is intended to allow current owners of big cats at the time of enactment of the BCPSA to keep their big cats; however, they must register with the Service; are not allowed to breed, acquire, or sell big cats; and cannot allow direct contact between the public and their big cats (H. Rept. No. 117-428, p. 17 (July 22, 2022)). By registering their big cats no later than the statutory deadline (June 18, 2023), the person or entity (registrant) may continue to possess registered big cats that were born before the date of enactment (December 20, 2022) and legally in their possession on or before the date of enactment, as long as the registrant meets and continues to meet all requirements of 16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)(2)(E). To qualify to continue to possess live specimens of prohibited wildlife species (also referred to as “big cats”) under 16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)(2)(E), a registrant must register all live specimens of prohibited wildlife species in their possession with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service no later than June 18, 2023. The purpose of the registration form is to enable owners of big cats who want to continue to possess their big cats in accordance with 16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)(2)(E) to register all live specimens of big cats in their possession with the Service no later than June 18, 2023. The Service will use the information collected to verify eligibility to possess big cats under the BCPSA in accordance with 16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)(2)(E). Big cats bred or possessed in violation of the BCPSA and any big cat that is not registered on or before June 18, 2023, shall be subject to forfeiture for violation of the BCPSA prohibition on possession, unless another limited exception applies in accordance with the BCPSA. (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(e)(2)(A) - (D), 3374(a)).

The latest form for Big Cat Public Safety Act Requirements expires 2026-12-31 and can be found here.

Amendments (Form 3-200-11) - Individuals

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Natural Resources - Conservation, Marine and Land Management

Review document collections for all forms, instructions, and supporting documents - including paper/printable forms.