New South Wales Government

Department of

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Protected species

Almost all native animal species, and many species of native plants, are protected by law in NSW.

Native animals

All native birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, except the dingo, are protected in New South Wales by the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Hundreds of these species are listed as threatened, giving them additional protection under the Threatened Species Conservation Act. DEC is responsible for protecting these species.

Some fish species are also protected under New South Wales legislation. Check the Fisheries website for details of protected fish species and threatened fish species.

Land-based invertebrate species are not protected by law in New South Wales, unless they are listed as threatened. Aquatic invertebrates are the responsibility of the Department of Primary Industries - visit the Fisheries website to find out which species are protected.

Are there any exceptions or limits to the protection of native animals?

Some native birds are not protected in certain parts of New South Wales because they are either agricultural or pastoral pests:

• sulphur-crested cockatoos and galahs have been declared 'locally unprotected' west of the Great Dividing Range (in the Central and Western divisions of the state), because of the damage they do to grain and oilseed crops
• crows and ravens (corvids) are protected only in the counties of Camden (Illawarra region), Cumberland (Sydney basin) and Northumberland (Hunter region), because they are blamed for the deaths of lambs in other areas
• the purple swamphen is not protected in 10 irrigation districts and areas in the Riverina region, where the species causes considerable damage to irrigated crops such as rice.

The dingo is regarded as a wild dog under the Rural Lands Protection Act. Wild dogs are declared 'noxious animals' under that legislation, so they cannot be protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act.

Native plants

Native plants that grow on land or in fresh water are the responsibility of DEC. Many of these are protected by law in New South Wales:

• 'protected' species are listed in Schedule 13 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act
• threatened species are listed in the schedules of the Threatened Species Conservation Act.

The Department of Primary Industries is responsible for protecting salt-water plants, such as seaweeds, seagrasses and marine algae. Find out more on the Fisheries website.

Protection of species in parks and reserves

All native animals and plants living in NSW national parks and reserves are legally protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act.

Animal and plant licences

Although most species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are protected throughout the state, DEC can license people to control, hold and trade in protected species. For example, people can be licensed to:

• trade and keep captive-bred native animals as pets
• use protected native plants for some commercial purposes
• control protected animals where they are damaging crops or livelihoods.

Find out more about animal and plant licences.

More information

• Contact our Biodiversity Management Unit for information about the legal status of particular species.