CHAPTER 0 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
05/03/2007
ARTICLE VI ‑ TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE

#007 – IMPORTATION OF TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE
A.	Prior to importation of wildlife an importation permit must be obtained from the Division and the State Veterinarian.  

B.	An appropriate commercial or noncommercial parks license or an alternative livestock facility license from the Dept. of Agriculture must be in possession prior to importation.  Only animals in the same scientific family as animals approved on the parks licenses or scientific collecting license can be imported.

C.	All wild ungulates imported into Colorado must be marked with USDA official eartags.

D.	All wildlife imported into Colorado must be examined by an accredited veterinarian prior to importation and must be accompanied by a valid, preapproved health certificate certifying disease‑free status.  Minimum specific disease testing results and/or health statements must be included on health certificates for:

1.	All captive wild ungulates shall:
a.	Test negative for brucellosis.  The health certificate completed by an accredited veterinarian must include the signed statement that "To the best of my knowledge, animals listed herein are not infected with Paratuberculosis (Johnes Disease) and have not been exposed to animals infected with Paratuberculosis."
b.	Test negative for bovine tuberculosis using USDA-approved testing procedures appropriate for species in question not more than 60 days prior to importation and must originate from a herd which has had a negative complete herd test for tuberculosis within the past 12 months.  A "complete herd test" is defined as tuberculosis testing of all ruminants and camelids on a premises (except domestic cattle, Bison, sheep and goats) using USDA-approved testing procedures appropriate for species in question where all testing is completed during a period not exceeding six (6) consecutive months; or
c.	Originate from a bovine tuberculosis-free herd accredited by another state or province which meets the standards for testing or their equivalent as set forth in (2) above. 
d.	Appropriate USDA-approved testing procedures are limited to those referenced in section #006(5)(E) above and others prescribed by the federal Veterinary Service as set forth in Appendix B to this regulation.
2.	Testing for bovine tuberculosis in other mammalian species may be required prior to importation if there is reason to suspect that such animals may be infected with the disease.
3.	All wild species in the sub families Meleagridinae (wild turkey) and Tetraoninae (grouse): Tested negative for Mycoplasma gallisepticum, M. synoviae, M. meleagridis and Salmonella pullorum.  For groups of grouse imported from the same source in a single shipment, testing is required for only 25% (one of every four) of those birds.
4.	All elk (Cervus elaphus) must be tested prior to importation for evidence of red deer hybridization.  Any animal testing positive for red deer hybridization shall not be allowed to be imported into Colorado.
5.	The offspring of any female elk must be tested for red deer hybridization, at the owner's expense, by December 31 of the year of birth if the calf results from a pregnancy which existed prior to the female elk being imported into Colorado.
6.	Any offspring, described in 4(e) above, testing positive for red deer hybridization, must be removed from the State of Colorado, at the owner's expense, by June 1 of the year following the year of birth.  In all cases, the Division of Wildlife will not compensate owners for these animals.

E.	Additional disease testing may be required at the discretion of the Director of the Division of Wildlife by written notification prior to importation, when there is reason to believe other diseases, parasites or other health risks are present. (e.g. recent outbreak of a disease not listed in this section.)

F.	All imported wild ungulates, turkeys, and grouse must be held in isolation from other wildlife on the operator's premises for at least thirty (30) consecutive days upon importation into Colorado. Animals obtained from free‑ranging wild stock by state or federal agencies are exempt from the isolation period.

G.	At least seven (7) days prior to the proposed importation date all persons desiring to import raptors into Colorado must properly complete a Raptor Importation form.  All raptors imported into Colorado must have veterinary certificates certifying the birds are disease free.

H.	CWD Surveillance and Status Requirements 
1.	Any facility from which deer or elk are imported into Colorado shall be subjected to at least sixty (60) months of documented surveillance for chronic wasting disease (CWD) prior to any importation of deer or elk into Colorado unless the Division and the Dept. of Agriculture agree that movement from a facility with less than 60 months surveillance presents a negligible risk taking into consideration predation, theft or other relevant factors.  Determination of when a facility meets the sixty (60) month minimum surveillance period shall be based on the age of the animals on the facility, the source facility of the animals, and the length of the surveillance program of the source facility(ies).  Every individual in the source herd must meet the sixty month surveillance requirement; except for young born into a herd during the sixty month surveillance period, provided that all other deer and elk on the source facility during that time period and all deer and elk imported into the source facility during that time period also meet the sixty (60) month requirement.  No deer or elk may be imported into Colorado from a facility that has tested positive for CWD.  Provided further that no importation will be permitted anytime a new CWD diagnosis is made in any captive wildlife facility in any state or country until all tracebacks have been completed and CWD free status has been confirmed for all source facilities.
2.	For the purpose of maintaining 60 months CWD-free status, records must positively account for all animals and cause of death.  If any animals remain untested or unaccounted for or cause of death is otherwise unknown or in question, status is adversely impacted and reduced to the date the untested or unaccounted for animal or animal with the unknown or questionable cause of death was introduced into the herd, unless the Division and the Dept. of Agriculture agree otherwise, taking into consideration the possibility of predation, theft, or other relevant factors.  Any deer or elk imported into Colorado in violation of this standard, or any pre-existing standard, or for which documentation does not exist which clearly establishes compliance with said standard must be immediately destroyed and tested for CWD, and the facility shall be placed under quarantine immediately upon discovery of the violation.  The quarantine shall not be released until test results show that CWD has not been detected in any of the subject animals. The status of the receiving herd may be reduced up to 0 months.  If CWD is detected in any of them, the quarantine remains in effect, and all private deer and elk that have come into contact with any of them must be immediately destroyed and tested for CWD.  In all such cases, there shall be no obligation for the state to compensate the owner of the animals. 

a.	State operated CWD surveillance program:
	Facilities seeking to import deer or elk into Colorado shall submit documentation from the state or province of origin’s animal health or wildlife management agencies to the Division regarding its compliance with at least a sixty (60) month CWD surveillance program.  The program must require that participating facilities have a mechanism for individual animal identification and submit complete inventory records for all such deer and elk on the facility, including all additions, exports and mortalities; and copies of the results of any animal inventory or records audits and verification records; for at least the previous sixty (60) months, and laboratory reports documenting the absence of CWD lesions, after microscopic evaluation of brain tissues by an accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory, in all adult (16 months of age or older) deer and elk dying of any cause over the required surveillance period.
b.	Case by case review:
	In the absence of a state operated CWD surveillance program, the facility must have a mechanism for individual animal identification and shall submit to the Division complete records for all such deer and elk on the facility, including all additions, exports and mortalities; and copies of the results of any animal inventory or records audits and verification records; for at least the previous sixty (60) months; and individually identified laboratory reports documenting the absence of CWD lesions, after microscopic evaluation of brain tissues by an accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory, in all adult (16 months of age or older) deer and elk dying of any cause over the required surveillance period.

I.	If the Division and the Dept. of Agriculture fail to reach agreement on matters requiring both agencies’ approval in this rule, the matter shall be presented to the Commissioner of Agriculture and the Director of the Division for review.  The Director and the Commissioner shall render a decision within 5 working days.  Failure to agree shall result in a denial of the requested action and shall constitute final agency action.

J.	It shall be unlawful to import dead deer or elk from any other state or country from a game management unit, or equivalent wildlife management unit as defined by that state or country, which has been diagnosed as positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the wild, except for the following portions of the carcass:

1.	Meat that is cut and wrapped (either commercially or privately).
2.	Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached.
3.	Meat that has been boned out.
4.	Hides with no heads attached.
5.	Clean (no meat or tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached.
6.	Antlers with no meat or tissue attached.
7.	Upper canine teeth, also known as "buglers", "whistlers", or "ivories".
8.	Finished taxidermied heads.