In hunting, take or taking is a term used in the United States to refer to any action that adversely affects a species, particularly killing individuals of that species, as outlined by the United States Endangered Species Act of 1973. Although "taking" most commonly refers to the act of killing animals in a hunting context, its definition can also extend to include harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, trapping, capturing, and collecting any plant or animal (or attempting to do so).[1] The definition of take can also further extend to comprise the indirect harming of a species via modification of its habitat ().
Taking species of plants or animals is generally regulated and may be prohibited by law depending on the conservation status of the species, geographic area, and/or time of year.