This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973.”
As used in this article, the term “protected species” means a species of animal life which the department shall have designated as a protected species and shall have made subject to the protection of this article.
a) The department shall identify and inventory any species of animal life within this state which it determines from time to time to be rare, unusual, or in danger of extinction; and, upon such determination, such species shall be designated protected species and shall become subject to the protection of this article.
(b) The board shall issue such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the protection of protected species and for the enforcement of this article. Such rules and regulations shall not affect rights in private property or in public or private streams, nor shall such rules and regulations impede construction of any nature. Such rules and regulations shall be limited to the regulation of the capture, killing, or selling of protected species and the protection of the habitat of the species on public lands.
(c) The department may delegate the powers and duties which this article grants to it to any official or officials of the department.
Any person who violates any rule or regulation promulgated by the board pursuant to this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.