Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Land
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water resources for agriculture, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Biodiversity
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Invasive species
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Wildlife trade
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us Enhancing Australia’s agriculture, environment, heritage and water resources through regulation and partnership.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    A day in the life

    A day in the life...

    Our video series showcases the diverse and important work we do.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. International wildlife trade
  4. Non-commercial Wildlife Trade
  5. Zoos

Sidebar first - EN - Wildlife trade

  • Non-commercial trade
    • Education
    • Museums
    • Household pets
    • Research
    • Travellers and online shoppers
    • Vintage or antique items
    • Zoos
      • Co-operative conservation programs
      • Facility assessment

Zoos

Live animals may be imported and exported for zoo purposes (such as exhibition and/or breeding), where they meet strict requirements, including animal welfare requirements. In particular, there are some restrictions and requirements for specific Australian native species and for specimens listed on different appendices of CITES:

  • You can check if your species is listed on CITES, and which Appendix it is listed on, by checking Species+.
  • You can find out if the species you wish to export is native to Australia by checking the Atlas of Living Australia.

Some animals have been assessed for entry into Australia while others are not permitted entry:

  • You can check if your species is listed on the Live Import list by visiting our Live Import List page.

Click on a heading below or Show all | Hide all

Exhibition purposes

Live Australian native animals, live CITES Appendix II animals, and animals listed on Part II of the Live Import List may be imported or exported for non-commercial zoo exhibition purposes, where:

  • the exhibition presents information with a cultural, scientific or conservation content
  • it does not belong to a CITES Appendix I species (see conservation breeding purposes below)
  • the specimen will not be used for commercial purposes after it is no longer needed for exhibition
  • the specimen is not needed for conservation breeding or propagation by the exporting country
  • if possible, the specimen comes from a captive animal or artificially propagated plant
  • for a specimen listed as a threatened species, the export is not inconsistent with any recovery plan for the species
  • for a live export of a koala, platypus, wombat or Tasmanian devil, or an animal of an eligible listed threatened species, the exporter, the importer and the Australian Government enter into an agreement about the treatment and disposal of the animal and/or any progeny of the animal.

Please be aware that you will need to provide documentary evidence that all the above requirements are met, and you may require a facility assessment (see ‘Facility assessment’ heading below).

Apply for a permit

Conservation breeding purposes

Animals may be imported or exported for conservation breeding purposes where:

  • the animal will be used as part of an approved cooperative conservation program
  • for a specimen listed as a threatened species the export is not inconsistent with any recovery plan for the species
  • for a live export of a koala, platypus, wombat or Tasmanian devil, or another EPBC-listed threatened species, the exporter, the importer and the Australian Government enter into an agreement about the treatment and disposal of the animal and/or any progeny of the animal.

Please be aware that you will need to provide documentary evidence that all the above requirements are met, and you may require a facility assessment (see ‘Facility assessment’ heading below).

Apply for a permit

Export of Australian native wildlife

The Australian Government takes the export of its native Australian animals seriously. Many native Australian animals are known for their complex biological and behavioural needs, and for this reason, there are strict requirements for the veterinary care, housing, feeding, transport and keeper training that need to be in place prior to export.

The Australian Government has responsibility for issuing permits to export native animals. However, the Government does not have a role in animal acquisition. We recommend that overseas zoos that are seeking Australian animals for their collections contact zoos within Australia to determine the availability of suitable animals under their care.

For the export of koalas, wombats, platypus and Tasmanian devils, or any live animal of a listed threatened species, the exporter, importer and the Australian Government must enter into an agreement about the housing and treatment of the animals and their progeny, known as an Ambassador Agreement. These requirements ensure that the receiving facility is suitably-qualified to care for the animals.

Specific export conditions also apply to koalas, kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, wallabies and listed threatened species. You can find these in the section below. Please note that some conditions specify that specimens must be transferred with native food sources such as eucalyptus branches. Any Australian native plant exported as the food source will also require a wildlife trade permit and you should include it on your permit application.

Conditions for the overseas transfer of Australian native animals

Specific conditions apply to the export from Australia of certain Australian native animals. Currently, such conditions apply to the export of koalas, wombats and macropods (kangaroos, wallabies and allies). Permit applications for these species will need to demonstrate that the relevant conditions have been met.

  • Conditions for the overseas transfer of Australian native animals

Facility assessments

Facility assessments are required for all imports and exports of live mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. A facility assessment is an evaluation of the suitability of a facility to meet the behavioral and biological needs of a specific species.

You can find the full criteria for facility assessments on the Facility assessment page.

Recognised zoological organisations

Only organisations that are open to the general public for the primary, but not necessarily exclusive purpose of educational exhibition of wildlife, can apply to import or export CITES species and Australian native species.

Please see ‘Application forms and guidelines’ on this page. The information requested is for the Department to ensure organisations are suitably equipped to:

  • manage, confine and care for internationally traded animals, including their behavioural and biological needs;
  • suitably equipped to:
    • exhibit and present information with a cultural, scientific or conservation content, or
    • provide for conservation breeding under a program based on the conservation status and conservation needs of the species, operated in a way that applies best practice management of husbandry, genetics, biology and behavioural needs, and in accordance with the program’s objectives.

Application forms and guidelines

Recognised zoological organisation

Use the following application form to apply to be assessed as a recognised zoological organisation for the purposes of import and export of wildlife to and from Australia.

Application for assessment as a recognised zoological organisation for the purposes of import and export of wildlife to and from Australia

(PDF - 221.06 KB) | (DOC - 122.5 KB)

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 28 February 2022

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.