Plants and animals
Much of Queensland's native wildlife is protected by legislation to ensure its survival and to protect biodiversity. All native birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians are protected in Queensland, along with a limited range of invertebrates, freshwater fish and the grey nurse shark. All plants that are indigenous to Australia are protected.
A licensing system helps protect native wildlife from over exploitation and the impacts of exotic species. Such controls ensure viable wild populations of plants and animals are maintained and that taking, keeping, using or moving wildlife for commercial, recreational or other purposes is monitored.
The type of approvals you will need depends upon a number of things, including:
- the nature and purpose of your proposed activity;
- the tenure of the area in which you intend to undertake your activity; and
- the species of wildlife concerned.
Find out about your legal obligations by reading the material on this website or read the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Nature Conservation Regulation 1994. Copies of the legislation are available from GoPrint or read it on-line by logging onto the Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website.
If you propose to undertake certain activities on other state-managed land, such as state forests or marine parks, you may also need approvals under other legislation.
Last updated: 01 September 2008