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Wildlife Act 1953

Protection of wildlife - Wildlife sanctuaries

11: Destruction or seizure of certain animals found in sanctuaries

You could also call this:

"What happens to animals that don't belong in a wildlife sanctuary"

If you are in a wildlife sanctuary, the Director-General can decide if an animal or bird is not wanted there. They can give someone permission to destroy the animal or bird if it is bad for other wildlife. The Director-General can take back this permission at any time.

If an animal or bird is destroyed, the person who owned it will not get any money back. The Director-General can give permission to destroy any kind of animal or bird, except for pets that belong to someone who lives on the land.

You can seize animals like cattle, sheep, or horses if they are in a wildlife sanctuary and do not belong to the person who lives on the land. A ranger can take these animals and they will then belong to the government. The ranger can destroy, sell, or get rid of these animals if the Director-General says it is okay.

If the animals have a brand on them, a ranger can still seize them if they have permission from the Director-General. If someone is found guilty of letting these animals into the sanctuary, the court can say the animals now belong to the government.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM277226.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation
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Part 1Protection of wildlife
Wildlife sanctuaries

11Destruction or seizure of certain animals found in sanctuaries

  1. Where the Director-General considers that the presence in any sanctuary of any animal or bird or of animals or birds of any specified species is undesirable in the interests of other wildlife in the sanctuary, he may authorise any person in writing, either generally or in a specified case, and whether with or without other persons under his control, to destroy that animal or bird or animals or birds of that species, as the case may be. Any authority under this subsection may be at any time revoked by the Director-General.

  2. The destruction of any animal or bird pursuant to an authority granted under subsection (1) shall not confer any right to compensation on any person.

  3. In subsection (1) the expression animal or bird includes any animal or bird of any kind, whether wildlife or not and whether or not a domestic animal or domestic bird and whether protected or not; but does not include a domestic animal or domestic bird belonging to the occupier of any land included in the sanctuary or any animal of any of the species referred to in subsections (4) and (5).

  4. All unbranded cattle, sheep, horses, mules, asses, pigs, or goats found in any wildlife sanctuary (not being animals belonging to the occupier of any land included in the sanctuary) may be seized by a ranger, and shall thereupon be deemed to be forfeited to the Crown, and any ranger may cause any such animals to be destroyed, sold, or otherwise disposed of if so authorised by the Director-General.

  5. All branded cattle, sheep, horses, mules, asses, pigs, or goats found in any wildlife sanctuary (not being animals belonging to the occupier of any land included in the sanctuary) may be seized by a ranger authorised in writing by the Director-General to do so, either generally or in any specified case, and, on conviction of any person for causing or allowing the said animals to be in the sanctuary in breach of the provisions of this Act, may be adjudged by the court to be forfeited to the Crown.

Notes
  • Section 11(1): amended, on , by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
  • Section 11(4): amended, on , by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
  • Section 11(5): amended, on , by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).