Native animal keeping categories

Native animals are grouped into 4 keeping categories:

• Basic
• Specialist
• Exempt, and
• Unprotected.

Basic, Specialist and Exempt category animals are all considered ‘protected animals’ under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. Protected animals are any native mammal, bird or reptile, or any amphibian listed as a threatened species.

To find out the category your native animal is in, please download the species list (PDF) or check the full list below.

If you can’t find your protected native animal on the species list that means it is a Specialist category animal. Specialist category animals are not on the list because there are thousands of them. A Specialist animal is any protected animal not on the below species list.

For more information on applying for permits see Keep and sell native animal or egg permits.

Native animal species list

Mammals

Amphibians

Reptiles

Birds