§ 2116 Wild Animal Definition

Fish and Game Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law defines which animals are considered 'wild' in the state, listing the groups of animals that are not normally kept as pets.

Key Takeaways

•Wild animal includes birds, mammals, amphibians, bony fishes, lampreys, reptiles, crayfish, and slugs/snails.
•An animal is considered wild if it is not normally domesticated in the state.
•The commission decides whether a specific animal is normally domesticated.

Example

A homeowner wants to keep a pet iguana.

Iguanas are reptiles, and the law says reptiles are wild animals unless they are normally domesticated in the state, so the iguana would be classified as a wild animal.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 2116 Wild Animal Definition

As used in this chapter, “wild animal” means any animal of the class Aves (birds), class Mammalia (mammals), class Amphibia (frogs, toads, salamanders), class Osteichtyes (bony fishes), class Monorhina (lampreys), class Reptilia (reptiles), class Crustacea (crayfish), or class Gastropoda (slugs, snails) which is not normally domesticated in this state as determined by the commission. (Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1503.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

wild animal class Aves class Mammalia class Amphibia class Osteichtyes class Monorhina class Reptilia class Crustacea class Gastropoda

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Fish and Game Code. Section 2116.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References