Wildlife officers recently removed four raccoons from a Roosevelt home where they were being kept as pets. The Division of Wildlife Resources wants to remind the public that it is illegal to hold any protected wildlife captive in Utah. Protected wildlife includes a variety of species, including those you can hunt like deer, cottontail rabbits, several bird species, bears, cougars and others. Many bird species that aren’t hunted are also protected. Some wildlife are unprotected under Utah state law and can be harvested without a valid hunting or trapping license. One can possess such an animal but need to have a permit or follow the specific rules in place. Raccoons, coyotes, ground squirrels, gophers, jackrabbits, muskrats, and field mice are all such animals. A citation for illegally possessing these animals is a Class B misdemeanor.
