How to export or import hunting trophies
Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2010
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This fact sheet provides specific information on how to legally export or import hunting trophies to and from Australia. It should be read in conjunction with the general information sheets entitled How to export or import wildlife and wildlife products and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Introduction
The Australian Government is committed to protecting and conserving Australian native wildlife by regulating international trade. This helps to protect targeted species against overexploitation, and Australian ecosystems against the introduction of invasive species.
The Australian Government also works with other nations to protect wildlife globally, by implementing CITES (see CITES fact sheet mentioned above).
In Australia, the export and import of wildlife and wildlife products is regulated under Part 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), which is administered by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
Regulation applies equally to individuals, commercial organisations and not-for-profit organisations.
Hunting trophies and CITES
Many species targeted by trophy hunters have been included in CITES Appendix I or II in response to the decline in some wild populations as a result of unregulated international trade.
| Scientific name | Common name | Appendix |
|---|---|---|
| Crocodylia | all alligators, calmans, crocodiles and gavials | I / II |
| Falconiformes Strigiformes |
all birds of prey including eagles, hawks, falcons and owls | I / II |
| Felidae | all non-domesticated cats including lions, tigers, cheetahs, cougars, leopards, jaguars, lynxes | I / II |
| Rhinocerotidae | all rhinoceroses | I / II |
| Ursidae | all bears | I / II |
| Addax nasomaculatus | addax | I |
| Ammotragus lervia | Barbary sheep | II |
| Bison bison ssp athabascae | wood bison | I |
| Capra falconeri | markhor | I |
| Cephalophus jentinki | Jentink’s Duiker | I |
| Equus africanus | African wild ass | I |
| Equus grevyi | Grevy’s zebra | I |
| Equus zebra ssp hartmannae | Hartmann’s mountain zebra | II |
| Equus zebra ssp zebra | Cape mountain zebra | I |
| Gazelle dama | dama gazelle | I |
| Hippopotamus amphibius | hippopotamus | II |
| Hippotragus niger ssp variani | giant sable antelope | I |
| Kobus leche | lechwe | II |
| Loxodonta africana | African elephant | I / II |
| Oryx dammah | scimitar-horned oryx | I |
| Oryx leucoryx | Arabian oryx | I |
| Scientific name | Common name |
|---|---|
| Aepyceros melampus | impala |
| Alces alces | moose |
| Antidorcas marsupialis | springbok |
| Capra hircus | goat |
| Cephalophus natalensis | red duiker |
| Cervus canadensis | waipiti (elk) |
| Cervus elaphus (note some subspecies are subject to CITES) | red deer |
| Cervus nippon | sika deer |
| Cervus timorensis | rusa deer |
| Cervus unicolor | sambar deer |
| Connochaetes gnou | wildebeest |
| Dama dama ssp dama | fallow deer |
| Damaliscus phillipsi | blesbok |
| Equus burchelli | Burchell’s zebra |
| Hemitragus jemlahicus | Himalayan tahr |
| Hippotragus niger ssp niger | sable antelope |
| Kobus ellipsiprymnus, megaceros, vardoni | waterbuck |
| Madoqua saltiana, kirki, guentheri | dik dik |
| Odocoileus hemionus | male deer |
| Odocoileus virginianus | white-tailed deer |
| Oryx gazella | gemsbok |
| Rupicapra rupicapra | chamois |
| Sus scrofa | wild pig |
| Sylvicapra grimmia | common duiker |
| Taurotragus oryx | common eland |
| Tragelaphus imberbis | lesser kudu |
| Tragelaphus strepsiceros | greater kudu |
Exports
A permit issued by the department is generally needed to legally export specimens of Australian native and CITES-listed species.
A permit may be issued for the export of specimens for personal purposes, unless the specimens are of a CITES Appendix I species or have been acquired or kept illegally.
A permit may be issued for the export of specimens for commercial purposes if they are derived from an approved source (see below).
A re-export permit may be issued for the export of specimens that have been legally imported into Australia, subject to any conditions legally imposed at the time of import.
Approved sources for export
Wildlife trade operations and wildlife trade management plans approved by the department for regulated species other than CITES Appendix I species are approved sources for exports of hunting trophies for commercial purposes.
If the source of the specimen is not approved, please contact the department for further information.
Imports
A permit issued by the department is often needed to legally import hunting trophies.
No hunting trophies of Appendix I species may be imported for personal or commercial purposes, except under a pre-CITES certificate (see below).
If the hunting trophies are CITES Appendix II listed species, an export permit should be acquired from the exporting country's CITES management authority before any application for an Australian import permit. A copy of the export permit will be required to support the import permit application.
If the import is for commercial purposes and the trophies are declared specimens, it must be demonstrated that they have been harvested as part of an approved commercial import program.
Currently, the only declared specimens that are commonly hunted are specimens originating in a country that is not a party to CITES. There are currently no approved commercial import programs for commonly hunted species. Further details on commercial import programs can be obtained from the department.
Special permits and exemptions
Specimens of CITES listed species acquired before the provisions of CITES applied to that species are not subject to normal permitting requirements. They may be exported or imported under a pre-CITES certificate issued by the CITES management authority of the country of export.
What else do I need to know?
Exports and imports of wildlife and wildlife products may also be subject to regulation under the Customs Act 1901 (administered by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service) and the Quarantine Act 1908 (administered by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service). These organisations may be contacted through offices in each state capital, or through their head offices:
Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Customs House
5 Constitution Avenue
Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 02 6275 6666
Freecall: 1300 363 263
Website: www.customs.gov.au
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 02 6272 3933
Freecall: 1800 020 504
Website: www.aqis.gov.au
Where can I get more information?
For more information on permits, please read the general information sheet entitled How to export or import wildlife and wildlife products or contact the department at the address below:
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Wildlife Trade Regulation Section
GPO BOX 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 02 6274 1900
Facsimile: 02 6274 1921
Email: wildlifetrade@environment.gov.au
Website: www.environment.gov.au/travel
The following links may also be of use or interest:
- List of CITES species
- Permit application forms
- CITES authorities in other countries
- Declared specimens
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