(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009 - (Sec. 4) Establishes the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Fund as a separate account of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to use Fund amounts to provide assistance for projects for the conservation of rare felids and rare canids. Sets forth provisions governing project proposals, review, and approval.
Defines "rare canid" to mean any of the canid species dhole, gray wolf, Ethiopian wolf, bush dog, African wild dog, maned wolf, and Darwin's fox, including any subspecies of such a species and excluding any subspecies or population that is native to the area comprised of the United States and Canada or the European Union.
Defines "rare felid" to mean any of the felid species lion, leopard, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, Iberian lynx, and Borneo bay cat, including any subspecies of such a species and excluding any species, subspecies, or population that is native to the United States and any tiger.
Prohibits: (1) the use of assistance under this Act for captive breeding or display purposes, other than captive breeding for release into the wild where no other conservation method for the species is biologically feasible; or (2) the expenditure of such assistance for any project in a country the government of which has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
Authorizes the Secretary to establish an advisory group to assist in carrying out this Act, which shall provide for public participation.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Secretary to initiate and report to Congress on a study of felid and canid species listed under the Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World Conservation Union that are not rare canids or rare felids (as defined in this Act), to determine: (1) the conservation status of each such species in the wild, including identification of those that are critically endangered or endangered; and (2) whether any such species should be made eligible for project assistance.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes appropriations.