Captive breeding programs
Due to the impacts of coronavirus on working arrangements, stakeholders are requested to contact the Wildlife Trade Sections via email rather than telephone. Please email wps@awe.gov.au with any questions about applying for a permit or for queries relating to existing permit applications. If you have an existing application, please include your application reference number in your email. We will respond to your query as soon as possible.
In order to export Australian native animal and plant specimens and/or CITES listed specimens for commercial purposes, the specimens must come from an approved program such as an approved captive breeding program.
Commercial trade in CITES Appendix I listed animals is prohibited, unless the animals are captive-bred and sourced from a captive breeding operation that has been registered with the CITES Secretariat. The CITES Secretariat maintains a list of registered operations.
Commercial trade in live native mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians is prohibited.
Exporters sourcing specimens from an approved program must also have export permit issued by the Department.
Approved captive breeding programs
Captive breeding programs currently approved under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are listed below. Conditions of approval, species covered and period of approval, are specified in the individual approval notices.
| State | Program name | Decision date | Review due | Species (follow link for complete species list) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programs approved for individual operations | ||||
| ACT | Paul Hailes | October 2019 | September 2024 |
|
| ACT | Terrence Barton | May 2020 | May 2025 | |
| NSW | Ecogrow Pty Ltd | December 2017 | December 2022 |
|
| Qld | Aesthetic Australian Insects | June 2016 | June 2021 |
|
| Qld | Australian Insect Farm | June 2020 | June 2025 |
|
| Qld | Australian Venom Zoo | September 2008 | September 2013 |
|
| Qld | Butterfly Encounters | April 2018 | April 2028 |
|
| Qld | Daintree Entomological Museum | August 2007 | August 2012 |
|
| Qld | Silke Weyland | November 2018 | November 2023 |
|
| SA | Seahorse Marine Services | August 2010 | August 2013 |
|
| SA | Venom Supplies | August 2017 | August 2022 |
|
| Tas | Seahorse Australia | April 2017 | April 2022 | |
| WA | Broome Crocodile Farm | October 2017 | October 2022 |
|
| WA | Perth Marine | July 2020 | July 2025 |
|
| Programs approved for state licensed operations | ||||
| NSW | State licensing regime for emus | April 2020 | April 2025 |
|
| Qld | State licensing regime for emus | April 2020 | April 2025 |
|
| SA | State licensing regime for emus | April 2020 | April 2025 |
|
| Tas | State licensing regime for emus | April 2020 | April 2025 |
|
| Vic | State licensing regime for emus | April 2020 | April 2025 |
|
| WA | State licensing regime for emus | April 2020 | April 2025 |
|