Wildlife Field Studies
While Field Studies, as defined in the AWA, and foreign field research are exempt from USDA animal welfare regulations, AAALAC International makes no distinction between laboratory and field studies, and thus, requires all research and teaching conducted by AAALAC-accredited institutions in the field, regardless of the location, to have some degree of IACUC oversight based on risk assessment, harm/benefit analysis, and hazard identification. Furthermore, the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) requires IACUC review and approval if the fieldwork alters or influences the activity of the study animal.
Accordingly, independent of the determination of whether a study qualifies for a USDA exemption as a Field Study, any study conducted in the wild regardless of location that requires the handling of a vertebrate animal or significantly disturbs their normal behavior must receive 老虎机攻略 IACUC approval prior to being conducted. Determination of whether a study will significantly disturb normal behavior is decided on a case-by-case basis by the IACUC and Attending Veterinarian, who may seek guidance from subject experts within and outside 老虎机攻略. Thus, all fieldwork requires 老虎机攻略 IACUC review and approval and the USDA definition of Field Study mainly influences which free-ranging mammals used in research and teaching need to be reported to the USDA.
Studies Conducted in the Wild Outside the United States
Field research, even if it includes invasive procedures, harm, or material alteration of behavior, that is conducted outside the United States is exempt from USDA reporting since it is not within the jurisdiction of the USDA but still requires 老虎机攻略 IACUC approval before research can begin.
Are my studies regulated by the USDA? |
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For information and examples of field studies that are regulated by the USDA and require annual reporting, please refer to the specific examples and detailed information provided here.
Wildlife Research Policy
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The 老虎机攻略 (老虎机攻略) Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requires that a Wildlife Animal Use Protocol be submitted for any study conducted on free-living wild animals in their natural habitat that involves procedures that may harm or materially alter the behavior of the animals under study (i.e., trapping/capture, physical/chemical restraint, and/or invasive procedures causing stress, including removal from nest and habitat for short durations).
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The 老虎机攻略 IACUC requires that an Observational Wildlife Animal Use Protocol be submitted for ANY and ALL field studies that do not harm or materially alter the behavior of the animals under study (i.e., observational in nature and do not involve trapping/capture, physical/chemical restraint, and/or invasive procedures).