Can I kill a snake? Feed an alligator? Hold a bear cub? NC wildlife laws
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- You must report a bear killed outside open season for property damage within 24 hours.
- Feeding alligators is illegal in North Carolina and can create public safety risks.
- It is illegal to move or kill listed snakes without a permit; wild collection is barred.
North Carolina wildlife can be beautiful, glowing, harmless and sometimes, not harmless at all. Some of the state’s snakes are venomous, and it is home to several large predators.
It is illegal to engage with certain wildlife. Here’s the law for several species.
Snakes
The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake and Eastern Coral Snake are endangered species in North Carolina, and the Timber Rattlesnake, Pigmy Rattlesnake, Southern Hognose Snake, Pine Snake, Carolina Water Snake and Outer Banks Kingsnake are threatened species.
It is illegal to move or kill any of the listed snakes without a permit.
“The timber rattlesnake is considered a threatened species in the state of North Carolina, and is threatened because of habitat destruction,” Appalachian State Biology Professor Matt Estep said. “If we build a road or housing development or things like that in and around those sites, we can perturb those populations.”
Copperheads are not in the same danger, but should still be handled with care, or not at all. The best way to avoid venomous snake bites is to avoid venomous snakes.
An Amphibian and Reptile Possession permit is required for the possession, purchase or sale of five or more native reptiles not on the endangered, threatened or special concern lists and not including Carolina pygmy rattlesnakes, timber rattlesnakes and Eastern coral snakes.
A permit will not be issued for the collection of snakes from the wild.
Bears
North Carolina’s black bears are not as threatening as a brown bear, but we still need to leave them alone. The bear population has boomed in recent years, making a run-in more likely.
It is illegal to kill a bear outside of open season unless it is actively destroying your property. A kill of this nature must be reported to a local wildlife enforcement officer within 24 hours.
Feeding bears can shorten their lifespan and make them more dangerous towards people. In National and State parks, there may be fines levied for littering and feeding wildlife, for this reason. It is also illegal in North Carolina to capture or hold a bear cub, cute though they may be.
Alligators
It is illegal to feed alligators intentionally in North Carolina.
Feeding alligators, on purpose or not, can cause them to become a safety issue, as they will associate humans with food, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
“People accidentally feed alligators quite a bit,” North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Alligator Biologist Alicia Wassmer said. “They’re trying to feed other species in the water, or stay at the boat ramp and throw in their fish scraps into the water there. All those kinds of things can unintentionally attract the alligators.”
Alligators are listed as protected federally due to their visual similarity with the American crocodile. Alligator hunting is only allowed by permit in North Carolina. Harming or killing an alligator is strictly prohibited without one, and only authorized individuals can remove alligators causing problems, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Coyotes
Coyotes are now all over the state, and people see them frequently. They are not endangered or threatened.
You are required to have a license to hunt coyotes in five of North Carolina’s 100 counties: Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington. Hunting coyotes on public land is prohibited in these counties. In the rest of the state, coyotes may be killed on public lands without a permit between certain hours.
It is not recommended to engage with coyotes, even though the species is not in danger.
