Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver Act or the WILD Act
This bill reauthorizes and revises several wildlife conservation programs, establishes requirements for invasive species management, and requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to establish certain prize competitions.
Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2023 (1) the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program; and (2) accounts under the Multinational Species Conservation Fund for the protection of African elephants, Asian elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, and great apes. The bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and revises the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund, including to expand the fund to include funding for the conservation of tortoises and freshwater turtles.
In addition, the bill requires certain federal agencies to (1) control and manage invasive species, and (2) develop strategic plans for implementing invasive species programs designed to achieve substantive annual net reductions of invasive species populations or infested acreage on land or water.
Finally, the USFWS must establish Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prizes to encourage technological innovation with the potential to advance the mission of the USFWS with respect to the
- prevention of wildlife poaching and trafficking,
- promotion of wildlife conservation,
- management of invasive species,
- protection of endangered species, and
- nonlethal management of human-wildlife conflicts.