If a native animal becomes a threat to human safety, is damaging property and/or causing economic hardship, a biodiversity conservation licence may be granted by National Parks and Wildlife Service to control it. Under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act) this control is referred to as harm and may include catching and releasing or culling an animal.
Different types of biodiversity conservation licenses to control native animals include:
- Landholder's licence – for owners or occupiers of a property to mitigate threats to human safety, property damage or economic hardship caused by native animals other than those covered by a kangaroo or flying-fox licence.
- Flying-fox licence – for commercial crop growers, previously granted under special circumstances to protect crops from damage caused by flying-foxes. From 1 July 2021, this licence type is no longer available.
- Kangaroo licence – for owners or occupiers of a property to mitigate threats to human safety, property damage or economic hardship caused by kangaroos, wallaroos and/or some types of wallaby.
- General licence (site-specific) – for a person to assist a landholder to control a native animal on their property, usually in accordance with a landholder's licence.
- General licence (airport) – for a person to maintain aircraft safety at an airport.
- General licence (non-site specific) – for a person with demonstrated training and/or experience, such as working in an animal control business, to enable them to assist licensed landholders.
Search for licences
The public register provides information about licences to control native animals administered since 25 August 2017, following commencement of the BC Act. This includes licences that have been granted, renewed, varied, suspended or cancelled since that time. The register is available as an Excel spreadsheet and is updated approximately every 3 months: Current public register of licences to harm (XLS 2.9MB).
When you open the spreadsheet, click on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to view information about different types of licences to control native animals.
Licence conditions
The rights conferred by a biodiversity conservation licence are subject to conditions.
Landholder's licences
The documents below show the conditions for landholder's licences issued to control different types of native animals, including:
- Licence to harm aggressive birds conditions (PDF 43KB)
- Licence to harm cockatoos or parrots conditions (PDF 33KB)
- Licence to harm ducks conditions (PDF 33KB)
- Licence to harm emus conditions (PDF 33KB)
- Licence to harm white ibis nests and eggs conditions (PDF 30KB)
- Licence to harm wombats conditions (PDF 43KB).
Flying-fox licence
From 1 July 2021, this licence type is no longer available.
Kangaroo licence
These conditions are for licences to control kangaroos for non-commercial purposes, not for commercial kangaroo harvesting: Licence to harm kangaroos conditions (PDF 32KB).
General licences
- General licence to harm (site specific) conditions (PDF 28KB)
- General licence to harm (airports) conditions (PDF 22KB)
- General licence to harm (non-site specific) conditions (PDF 30KB)
Related public registers
Other public registers that provide information about biodiversity conservation licences granted under the BC Act to regulate interactions between humans and native wildlife include: