Patents and Wildlife

Wildlife law and patent law have evolved in parallel over hundreds of years. While there is little to suggest a convergence of these bodies of law, the past few decades has seen a significant number of patentable inventions made by accessing and using wild animals, plants, and other organisms. Wildlife law is designed to protect and conserve a common natural resource while patent law fosters invention and technological advancement. This work explores the intersection of wildlife law and patent law in the United States. The questions that it asks and answers will be of interest to those interested in patents or wildlife and will be of particular interest to those who are fascinated by the constant stream of inventions and discoveries that flow from wildlife resources.

Dr. Richard Cahoon received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in Natural Resources. His undergraduate degrees are from the University of Utah and his Masters from Montana Statue University. Dr. Cahoon was Director of Technology Transfer at Cornell for twenty years where he specialized in intellectual property management in the biological sciences.