Manny Gregory T. Castro
SENATOR Manny Gregory T. Castro last week pre-filed Senate Bill 24-43, which proposes to deregulate the hunting, taking, or possession of Sambar deer in the CNMI.
Public Law 17-23, which amends P.L. 2-51, allows the domestication or raising of Sambar deer in captivity. It is also legal in the CNMI to capture live Sambar deer during the hunting season, as allowed under existing regulations.
Citing that the Sambar deer population in the CNMI is non-native, S.B. 24-43 states that the species should not be protected using public resources. The bill notes that if people wish to protect the deer population or raise them for personal or commercial consumption, they may do so on their private land.
The measure seeks to further amend P.L. 2-51, also known as the CNMI Endangered Species Act, to add a provision deregulating the hunting, taking, or possession of Sambar deer. If the bill is enacted into law, a license to possess Sambar deer would no longer be required beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
