NEW YORK (WWTI) — Registration is open for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s falconry, wildlife rehabilitator and leashed tracking dog handler exams.

The free exams will be offered exclusively online and are scheduled for Friday, April 14. The registration deadline is Wednesday, April 12.

Interested New Yorkers can register for the exams online. Applicants will receive an email acknowledging their registration before receiving an additional link to access the online exam.

Apprentice Falconry License

DEC says falconry requires a significant commitment of time and effort. Apprentices are limited to possessing one bird, either an American kestrel or a red-tailed hawk.

DEC offers a free falconry study guide and exam manual online. The cost of a five-year falconry license is $40.

Wildlife Rehabilitator License

Wildlife rehabilitators care for injured, sick and orphaned wild animals with the goal of returning them to the wild. Interested applicants are encouraged to gain experience by serving as an assistant to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

DEC offers a free wildlife rehabilitator study guide and exam manual online. The five-year wildlife rehabilitator license is free.

Leashed Tracking Dog Handler

Leashed tracking dog handlers use their dogs to track and recover dead or wounded big game. They help hunters locate big game that could otherwise go unrecovered.

DEC offers a free leashed tracking dog study guide online. The cost of a five-year leashed tracking dog license is $50. A non-refundable application fee of $25 is required.

More information about each of the licenses is available on DEC’s website.