The Department may prohibit or limit the importation, possession, release into the wild, take, commercialization of take, sale, and propagation of wild mammals, wild birds, and feral livestock that are not defined as protected species in Section 2.2 of this Act, to reduce risks of communicable diseases, nuisances, and damages to wild or domestic species, agricultural crops, property, and environment. The Department shall set forth applicable regulations in an administrative rule. Nothing in this Act shall prohibit bona fide public or State scientific, educational, or zoological institutions from receiving, holding, and displaying unprotected species that were salvaged or legally obtained.
Nothing in this Section shall be construed to criminalize the accidental escape of domestic livestock.
520 ILCS 5/2.2a