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Translocating native animals for conservation

Conservation translocation involves moving animals from one location to another to conserve, protect or benefit a species, habitat and/or ecosystem.

The purpose of this activity is to provide conservation benefits to the animal species in question. Benefits could include reintroducing animals to a location they were once found, ensuring there is enough genetic diversity in animals within an area, or introducing animals to a new location to avoid extinction.

The department guides and regulates conservation translocations involving native animals within South Australia and when native animals from South Australia are being moved interstate.

If you are planning to undertake a conservation translocation project, you must seek appropriate advice, approvals and permits to comply with relevant laws, regulations and codes of practice.

This page includes information on the approvals you may need, documentation requirements and required permits and licences.

It is important to note that additional approvals and permits may be required from any other jurisdictions relevant to your project.

There are some other situations where moving native animals does not fit the scope of a conservation translocation. This includes trapping and relocating animals that are damaging property, affecting human safety, or are injured. For more information on these activities, see moving native animals.

Conservation translocations

Conservation translocations can include activities such as trapping, catching, transporting and releasing native animals outside of their individual home range.

This may include translocations of native animals:

from the wild for release into the wild
from the wild to keep in captivity (whether temporarily prior to release, whilst undertaking soft-release, or for breeding purposes)
from captivity for release into the wild.

It is important to note that ‘the wild’ includes areas contained by fencing which hinder the movement of individuals or populations, such as sanctuaries with feral proof exclosures.

Approving native animal species

You will need approvals and relevant permits from us when:

animals involved are considered ‘protected’ under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (NPW Act), including:
- any native Australian mammal, bird or reptile
- any threatened animal species listed in Schedule 7, 8 or 9 of NPW Act (including listed fish, amphibians and invertebrates)
- any migratory mammal, bird or reptile living in Australia

any animal is proposed to be taken and/or released in a reserve proclaimed under the NPW Act or Wilderness Protection Act 1992 (e.g. national park, conservation park etc.)

You may require additional or alternative approvals when:

a species is listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and it will be significantly affected by a translocation – see approval information from the Australian Government.
planning to move or import any aquatic animals – this will require approval through the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).
planning to release fish into waters of the state - this requires a Ministerial permit through PIRSA.

Approving translocation proposals

Conservation translocation proposals are approved in South Australia by obtaining:

an endorsed translocation plan that is prepared by the project applicant and endorsed by the department, relevant landholders and traditional owners, and;
permits and licences under all relevant legislation, whether within South Australia or other jurisdictions.

A fully endorsed translocation plan may be required before permits and licences can be applied for or issued.

Ensure you allow enough time for project preparation, planning, translocation plan assessment and permit approvals. The complexity of a conservation translocation may affect the time it takes to prepare a translocation plan for assessment.

Our estimated assessment timeframes for conservation translocation proposals are:

8 – 12 weeks for translocation plans
4 – 6 weeks for relevant permit and license applications.

Please see your relevant animal ethics committee for ethics approval timeframes.

Before contacting us to discuss your conservation translocation proposal, please read more about translocation plans and permits below.

Translocation plans

A translocation plan needs to be provided to the department for assessment and endorsement. This is to ensure your project activities fall within legislative and regulatory frameworks and are in accordance with best practice.

All conservation translocation plans require details of:

conservation benefits, goals and objectives
ecological basis for species and location selection
appropriate management, monitoring and evaluation methodology
risk assessments
adequate long-term resources
appropriate community support.

Before preparing your translocation plan, contact us by email on translocation@sa.gov.au to discuss your proposal and request a translocation plan template.

Alternative translocation plan formats may be accepted, but the information provided must satisfy the requirements outlined in the translocation plan template.

Permits and licences

In South Australia, most native animal species are protected by state laws. This means that it is generally an offence to catch, trap, transport, release or undertake research using a native animal, without a permit.

We regulate activities using native animals in conservation translocations under 2 pieces of South Australian legislation, the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the Animal Welfare Act 1985.

An endorsed conservation translocation plan is often required before permits and licences can be finalised and issued, enabling your project to begin.

If applications are successful, permit and licence holders must abide by all limitations, restrictions and conditions listed, including reporting requirements.

The following South Australian permits and licences are required for all conservation translocation projects (unless not applicable to your project, or where an appropriate permit is held interstate).

Animal Welfare licences

NPW Act permits