Overview. This Act gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to investigate and control certain predatory or wild animals and nuisance mammal and bird species.

Animal Damage Control. The Secretary is authorized to conduct investigations, experiments, and tests to determine the best methods of eradication, suppression, or bringing under control mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, prairie dogs, gophers, ground squirrels, jack rabbits, brown tree snakes, and other animals injurious to agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry, wild game animals, fur-bearing animals and birds. Another purpose of these investigations is to protect stock and other domestic animals through the suppression of rabies and tularemia in predatory or other wild animals. The Secretary is also directed to conduct campaigns for the destruction or control of these animals. In carrying out the Act, the Secretary may cooperate with states, individuals, agencies and organizations. § 426.

The Secretary is also authorized, except for urban rodent control, to control nuisance mammals and birds and those mammal and bird species that are reservoirs for zoonotic diseases. Agreements may be entered into with states, local jurisdictions, individuals, and organizations for this purpose. § 426c.

Brown Tree Snakes. Section 1013 of Public Law 102-237, which amended the Act in 1991, also requires the Secretary to initiate a program to prevent the inadvertent introduction of the brown tree snake into Hawaii from Guam. The Secretary also is required, to the extent practicable, to take action to prevent the inadvertent introduction of the brown tree snake into other areas of the U.S. from Guam. Public Law 102-190 requires the Secretary of Defense to take action to prevent its introduction by Department of Defense aircraft or vessels. §426 note.

Appropriations Authorized. Congress authorized the Secretary to make expenditures for equipment, supplies, and materials, including the employment of persons to carry out this Act. § 426b.

Historical Note. Public Law 99-190, approved in 1985, transferred administration of the Act from the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of Agriculture.