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Principles for managing wildlife

The department has adopted the following principles for managing wildlife:

  • wildlife and conservation are not confined to reserves proclaimed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (NPW Act)
  • wildlife management must be based on sound ecological, environmental, social and economic factors:
    • ecological factors - species ecology, species conservation status, potential effects of management actions on a species and potential effects of climate change on species
    • environmental factors - the extent of damage/impact on the environment caused by wildlife
    • social factors - animal welfare, community sensitivities, values and expectations, needs of landholders, land managers and industry
    • economic factors - the extent of damage/impact being caused by wildlife
  • the welfare of all wildlife is intrinsically important
  • landholders, land and resource managers, community and industry have a need to control the impact caused by wildlife to acceptable levels to protect their livelihoods, safety and biodiversity assets, where it is consistent with the objectives of the NPW Act.