Scientific research or educational activities
Scientific researchers and educational institutions may, on occasion, need to take, keep or use protected wildlife for the purpose of research and education. There are some exemptions for using wildlife parts for scientific or educational use, although most taking of protected wildlife may only occur under a permit.
The type of permit you will need depends upon:
- the purpose of the activity (especially scientific research or educational use); and
- the tenure of the land in which you intend to take the wildlife.
Wildlife taken for scientific or educational use cannot be used in order to gain a financial benefit. If you are proposing to take wildlife and enter it into trade, or market a particular product derived from the wildlife (e.g. bioprospecting), you will need a commercial wildlife harvesting licence. Scientific or educational purposes permits can only be issued where the applicant demonstrates that the primary purpose for taking the wildlife is for genuine scientific research or of particular educational merit.
Where an applicant intends to take, keep, use or interfere with wildlife or natural resources of a protected area, the applicant will need to demonstrate why the research must occur in a protected area as opposed to another place outside a protected area. Likewise, if you intend to take protected wildlife from the wild, you will need to demonstrate why it is necessary to take the wildlife from the wild and why your needs cannot be satisfied by gaining access to other wildlife already in captivity.
The following permits are available under the Nature Conservation Act 1992:
- For educational purposes
- Educational purposes permit
- Permit to take, keep, use or interfere with natural or cultural resources of a protected area.
- For scientific purposes
- Scientific purposes permit
- Permit to take, keep, use or interfere with natural or cultural resources of a protected area.
The Nature Conservation (Administration) Regulation 2006, the Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) Regulation 2006, the Nature Conservation (Wildlife Management) Regulation 2006and the Nature Conservation (Protected Plants) Conservation Act 2000 and some other conservation plans apply to the taking, keeping and use of wildlife for scientific or educational purposes.
Last updated: 09 October 2006