As used in the nongame and endangered species conservation act:

(a) “Conserve,” “conserving” and “conservation” mean the use of all methods and procedures for the purposes of increasing the number of individuals within species and populations of wildlife up to the optimum carrying capacity of their habitat and maintaining such numbers. Such methods and procedures include, but are not limited to, all activities associated with scientific resources management such as research, census, law enforcement, habitat acquisition and maintenance, propagation, live trapping, transplantation, regulated taking and, when and where appropriate, the periodic or total protection of species or populations of wildlife. With respect to threatened species and endangered species, the terms mean the use of all methods and procedures, including but not limited to those described above, which are necessary to bring any threatened or endangered species to the point at which the methods, procedures and measures provided for such species pursuant to the nongame and endangered species conservation act are no longer necessary.

(b) “Ecosystem” means a system of living organisms and their environment, each influencing the existence of the other and both necessary for the maintenance of life.

(c) “Endangered species” means any species of wildlife whose continued existence as a viable component of the state‘s wild fauna is determined to be in jeopardy. That term also includes any species of wildlife determined to be an endangered species pursuant to Pub. L. No. 93-205 (December 28, 1973), the endangered species act of 1973, and amendments thereto.

(d) “Nongame species” means any species of wildlife not legally classified a game species, furbearer, threatened species or an endangered species by statute or by rule and regulation adopted pursuant to statute.

(e) “Optimum carrying capacity” means that point at which a given habitat can support healthy populations of wildlife species, having regard to the total ecosystem, without diminishing the ability of the habitat to continue that function.

(f) “Threatened species” means any species of wildlife which appears likely, within the foreseeable future, to become an endangered species. That term also includes any species of wildlife determined to be a threatened species pursuant to Pub. L. No. 93-205 (December 28, 1973), the endangered species act of 1973, and amendments thereto.

(g) “Wildlife” means any member of the animal kingdom, including, without limitation, any mammal, fish, bird, amphibian, reptile, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod or other invertebrate, and includes any part, product, egg or offspring thereof, or the dead body or parts thereof.