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Committee backs bill to remove river otter from 'protected' list, prompting scientific and landowner debate
Summary
House Bill 45 would remove the river otter from Wyoming's protected-animal statutory designation and move management to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department as non-game wildlife; supporters said it would give managers tools to address landowner and angler complaints, while opponents urged more population data before changing protections.
Representative Byron moved that the Committee of the Whole report House Bill 45 do pass; the motion carried and the committee recommended the bill for passage.
Representative Byron, sponsor of House Bill 45, said the measure "simply removes the otter" from the state's protected-animal list, making it a non-game wildlife species managed under Game and Fish rules. "That is not the case" that removal would create a free-for-all, Byron said, because the department would retain regulatory authority and could relocate animals…
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