Native animal management

General information

Native animal management

General information

From time to time, wildlife and humans come into conflict. The Nature Conservation Act 1992 recognises that in some situations, it is necessary to take wildlife to minimise damage to property (e.g. crops) or to protect human health.

A damage mitigation permit allows a person to take wildlife in such circumstances.

Please note: In relation to flying foxes DERM has accepted the findings of the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) that the shooting of flying foxes for fruit crop protection is inhumane and no further damage mitigation permits authorising lethal take by this method will be issued.

There is a growing understanding among primary producers and other land managers of the need to adopt sustainable management practices and minimise their impacts on the environment and to practice sustainable wildlife management.

An approved property management plan is defined in the Nature Conservation Act as a plan that is about the management of the land, provides for the conservation of wildlife on the land and is approved by the Department.

The purpose of a property management plan (PMP) is to provide an accredited wildlife management framework which accommodates land management activities, while protecting and conserving wildlife, and operates as an ‘approved property management plan’ as defined in the Nature Conservation (Administration) Regulation 2006.

The maximum duration of a damage mitigation permit is six months. However, if an applicant operates under an ‘approved property management plan’, a damage mitigation permit may be issued for a period of up to three years.

To be eligible applicants will need to demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to mitigate the damage caused by wildlife before they are eligible to get a damage mitigation permit.

Guidelines and policies

Please read the information below to find out how to apply for a permit to carry out this type of activity. The information sheet includes details about fees.

You can also read the legislation online by visiting the Office of Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website.

Information sheet: Damage mitigation permit (PDF, 34K)*
Information sheet: Damage mitigation permits for the aquaculture industry following declared natural disasters (PDF, 207K)*
Information sheet: Developing a property management plan (PDF, 34K)*

Pre-design conference service

The department offers a service to guide applicants through the assessment process. The service includes meeting with a departmental project manager to discuss the information that must be provided with your application.

This service can be initiated by contacting Permit and Licence Management or by email at palm@derm.qld.gov.au or completing a Pre-design conference application form (Word, 285K)‡. If a meeting is required to discuss your application in more detail, a departmental officer will contact you directly.

Permits and approvals

To apply for this type of permit, you need to lodge a completed application form.

People who take protected wildlife have an obligation to ensure that they do so with minimal pain and suffering to the animal. Permit holders may be required to comply with a code of practice that specifies appropriate and humane methods of taking protected animals under damage mitigation permits for species where this is permitted.

Code of practice: humane shooting of kangaroos