Wildlife Act 1953

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Reprint as at 21 December 2018

Wildlife Act 1953

Public Act		1953 No 31
Date of assent		31 October 1953
Commencement		see section 1(2)

Note

Changes authorised by subpart 2 of Part 2 of the Legislation Act 2012 have been made in this official reprint.

Note 4 at the end of this reprint provides a list of the amendments incorporated.

This Act is administered by the Department of Conservation.

	Title
1	Short Title and commencement
2	Interpretation
2A	Meaning of possession
2B	Application of certain provisions restricted
	Part 1 Protection of wildlife
3	Wildlife to be protected
4	Certain wildlife declared to be game
5	Certain wildlife partially protected
6	Certain wildlife may be hunted subject to conditions imposed by the Minister
7	Certain wildlife not protected
7A	Wild animals
7B	Terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates
7BA	Marine species
7C	Farming certain unprotected animals
8	Alteration of schedules
	Wildlife sanctuaries
9	Wildlife sanctuaries
10	All wildlife in sanctuaries absolutely protected
11	Destruction or seizure of certain animals found in sanctuaries
12	Mining privileges, coal mining rights, and public works [Repealed]
13	Seizure of wildlife, etc, illegally taken
	Wildlife refuges
14	Wildlife refuges
	Wildlife management reserves
14A	Wildlife management reserves
14AA	Granting of concessions in wildlife sanctuaries, wildlife refuges, and wildlife management reserves
	Management planning
14B	Wildlife areas to be managed by Department
14C	General policy
14D	Conservation management strategies
14E	Conservation management plans
14F	Population management plans
14G	Determining maximum allowable level of fishing-related mortality
14H	Determining area-based maximum levels of fishing-related mortality
14I	Procedure for preparation and approval of population management plans
	Part 2 Game
15	Open season for game
16	Notification as to conditions on which open season declared
17	Hunting or killing in game areas
18	Restrictions on the taking of game
19	Licence to hunt or kill game
19A	Game bird habitat stamp
20	Limitation of licence [Repealed]
21	Holder of game licence not to enter on land without consent
22	Shooting of game not in flight prohibited
23	Sale of game and sale of shooting rights prohibited
	Part 3 Administration
	Acclimatisation districts and societies [Repealed]
24	Acclimatisation districts [Repealed]
25	Acclimatisation societies [Repealed]
26	Societies to be bodies corporate [Repealed]
27	Appointment to councils of societies of representatives of farming interests, etc [Repealed]
28	Disqualification of officers of societies [Repealed]
29	Rules of acclimatisation societies [Repealed]
30	Functions of societies [Repealed]
31	Appointment of officers and servants [Repealed]
32	Societies may undertake research [Repealed]
33	Expenditure by societies [Repealed]
34	Annual reports and balance sheets of societies to be forwarded to Minister [Repealed]
35	Failure of society to act [Repealed]
36	Dissolution of societies [Repealed]
	Wildlife districts
37	Wildlife districts
	Rangers
38	Rangers
38A	Fish and game rangers to be rangers under this Act
39	Powers of rangers
39A	Certain rangers to have additional powers
39B	Power to seize evidential material
39C	Powers to require people to stop and to stop things or articles in transit
39D	Power to intervene to prevent offending
39E	Certain people to have power of arrest
39F	Power of arrest
39G	Application of Search and Surveillance Act 2012
40	Obstructing persons acting under this Act
	Powers of Minister
41	Minister’s general powers
42	Fencing of land
43	Tenancies
44	Delegation of Minister’s powers
	Powers of Director-General
44A	Delegation of powers by Director-General
	New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust Board
44B	New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust Board established
44C	Board to be body corporate
44D	Functions of Board
44E	Powers of Board
44F	Membership of Board
44G	Term of office of members of Board
44H	Servicing
44I	Funds to be held on trust
44J	Crown entity
44K	Annual report
44L	Members not personally liable
	Part 4 Injurious birds [Repealed]
45	Interpretation [Repealed]
46	Local authority may apply or raise funds for destruction of injurious birds [Repealed]
47	Local authorities to submit plans for destruction for approval of Director-General [Repealed]
48	Appointment of Inspectors, and bylaws [Repealed]
49	Provisions to secure concerted action [Repealed]
50	Minister may appoint Inspectors to carry out this Part if local authority fails to do so [Repealed]
51	Obstructing Inspector [Repealed]
52	Expenses of carrying out this Part [Repealed]
	Part 5 General provisions
53	Director-General may authorise taking or killing of wildlife for certain purposes
54	Director-General may authorise hunting or killing of wildlife causing damage
55	Keeping of specimens in museums
56	Restrictions on liberation or export of animals, birds, etc
56A	Application of Customs and Excise Act 2018
57	Ownership of animals
58	Homing pigeons
59	Entry on land for purposes of Act
60	Protection of rangers and others
61	Person in pursuit of wildlife to comply with demand by authorised officer
	Offences and penalties
62	Offences in relation to transport of wildlife
63	Taking protected wildlife or game, etc
63A	Taking of absolutely or partially protected marine wildlife
63B	Reporting of accidental or incidental death or injury
64	Offences in relation to wildlife sanctuaries
65	Other offences
65A	Liability of directors and managers
66	Continuing offence after being required to desist
66A	Offenders to give identifying information
67	Penalties for offences in respect of marine wildlife
67A	Penalties for offences in respect of absolutely protected wildlife
67B	Penalty for offence of liberating wildlife
67C	Penalties for offences in respect of partially protected wildlife
67D	Penalty for offence of obstructing ranger
67E	Penalties for offences in respect of game
67F	Penalties for other offences
67G	Sentence of community work
67H	Offenders also liable for loss or damage
67I	Penalties for offences committed for commercial gain or reward
68	Conduct of proceedings and recovery of fines
68A	Proceedings in respect of offences
68AB	Mens rea and strict liability offences
68B	Defences to offences in respect of marine wildlife
69	Evidence of boundaries, etc
70	Forfeitures
	Infringement offences
70A	Relationship between infringement offences and other offences
70B	Hunting during close season
70C	Hunting without licence during open season
70D	Contravening terms of open season notification
70E	Hunting wildlife in contravention of conditions prescribed by Minister
70F	Failure to produce licence on demand
70G	Taking protected wildlife or game
70H	Taking game in contravention of Act or notification
70I	Failure to comply with condition of authority to take or kill wildlife
70J	Liberating wildlife or exporting animals or animal products
70K	Transporting wildlife without proper information on container
70L	Farming or breeding certain unprotected animals
70M	Failure to report accidental or incidental death or injury
70N	Interfering with items on land under section 59
70O	Littering
70P	Acting without required licence, permit, etc
70Q	Contravening instruments made under this Act
70R	Infringement offences relating to wildlife refuges
70S	Infringement offences relating to waterfowl
70T	Infringement offences relating to homing pigeons
70U	Proceedings for infringement offences
70V	Who may issue infringement notices
70W	Infringement notices
70X	Reminder notices
70Y	Payment of infringement fees
70Z	Penalties for infringement offences
	Miscellaneous
71	Saving of other Acts
71A	Control of dogs
72	Regulations
73	Repeals, savings, and consequential amendments
	Schedule 1 Wildlife declared to be game
	Schedule 2 Partially protected wildlife
	Schedule 3 Wildlife that may be hunted or killed subject to Minister’s notification
	Schedule 4 Wildlife not protected, except in areas and during periods specified in Minister’s notification
	Schedule 5 Wildlife not protected
	Schedule 6 Animals declared to be wild animals subject to the Wild Animal Control Act 1977
	Schedule 7 Terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates declared to be animals
	Schedule 7A Marine species declared to be animals
	Schedule 8 Wildlife not protected but may be kept, bred, or farmed in captivity pursuant to regulations made under principal Act or by Minister’s direction
	Schedule 9 Acts not affected by this Act
	Schedule 10 Enactments repealed
	Wildlife Amendment Act 1983
	Conservation Law Reform Act 1990
	Wildlife Amendment Act 1996
	Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012
	Reprint notes

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the protection and control of wild animals and birds, the regulation of game shooting seasons, and the constitution and powers of acclimatisation societies

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