Wildlife Act 1953

General provisions - Offences and penalties

65: Other offences

You could also call this:

"Breaking wildlife laws in other ways, like bribing rangers or using fake licences"

If you do certain things, you commit an offence against the Wildlife Act. You can commit an offence by giving a gift to a ranger or officer to influence their decision. This is against the law and you can be punished.

You also commit an offence if you pretend to be a ranger or officer. Counterfeiting marks or brands used by the Department is also an offence. Using a fake licence or permit is against the law.

If you receive wildlife that you know was obtained illegally, you commit an offence. You can also commit an offence by helping someone break the law or sharing in the profits of an illegal activity. The penalty for these offences can be found in sections such as section 67F(5), section 67A(1), section 67C(1), and section 67E(1).

You must follow the rules in the Wildlife Act. If you do not, you can commit an offence. The penalties for these offences are set out in the Act, including in section 67F(3).

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM278152.


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Part 5General provisions
Offences and penalties

65Other offences

  1. Every person commits an offence against this Act and is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67F(5) who—

  2. gives or agrees to give or offers to any ranger or to any officer or servant of the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council or to any person under the control of any ranger or of any officer or servant of the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council any gift or consideration as an inducement or reward for any act done or to be done, or any forbearance observed or to be observed, or any favour shown or to be shown, by that ranger, officer, servant, or person in or in relation to the exercise of any powers or the discharge of any duties vested in or imposed on that ranger, officer, servant, or person under this Act, or, who being a ranger or an officer or servant of the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council or a person under the control of any ranger or of any officer or servant of the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council, accepts or agrees to accept or solicits any such gift or consideration as aforesaid:
    1. personates or falsely pretends to be a ranger or an officer or servant of the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council:
      1. counterfeits upon or without due authority fixes to any property any mark used by the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council as a means of identification of that property:
        1. without due authority, makes or causes to be made, or uses or causes to be used, or has in his possession a brand or stamp such as is usually used by rangers or by officers or servants of the Department or the New Zealand Fish and Game Council or any Fish and Game Council:
          1. counterfeits or without due authority issues any licence, permit, or other authority required by this Act or by any regulations under this Act:
            1. without a licence, permit, concession, or other right or authority, does or causes to be done any act, matter, or thing for which a licence, permit, concession, or other right or authority is required by this Act or by any regulations under this Act:
                1. erects or places on any land that is not a wildlife sanctuary or a wildlife refuge or a closed game area any notice or sign which is intended to cause or may reasonably cause any person to believe that the land is part of a wildlife sanctuary or wildlife refuge or closed game area, as the case may be:
                    1. fails to comply in any respect with any of the provisions of this Act or of any regulation or notice made under this Act, or does any act in contravention thereof.
                      1. Every person who, without lawful authority, receives any wildlife knowing that the wildlife was obtained without authority commits an offence against this Act and,—

                      2. in respect of an offence committed in relation to absolutely protected wildlife, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67A(1):
                        1. in respect of an offence committed in relation to partially protected wildlife, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67C(1):
                          1. in respect of an offence committed in relation to game, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67E(1).
                            1. Every person who counsels, aids, or assists in any breach of any of the provisions of this Act, or shares in any of the proceeds of that breach, commits an offence against this Act and,—

                            2. in respect of an offence committed in relation to absolutely protected wildlife, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67A(1):
                              1. in respect of an offence committed in relation to partially protected wildlife, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67C(1):
                                1. in respect of an offence committed in relation to game, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67E(3):
                                  1. in any other case, is liable on conviction to the penalty set out in section 67F(3).
                                    Notes
                                    • Section 65(1): amended, on , by section 26 of the Conservation (Natural Heritage Protection) Act 2013 (2013 No 89).
                                    • Section 65(1): amended, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).
                                    • Section 65(1)(a): amended, on , by section 5(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 109).
                                    • Section 65(1)(b): amended, on , by section 5(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 109).
                                    • Section 65(1)(c): amended, on , by section 5(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 109).
                                    • Section 65(1)(d): amended, on , by section 5(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 109).
                                    • Section 65(1)(f): amended, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 2).
                                    • Section 65(1)(g): repealed, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).
                                    • Section 65(1)(i): repealed, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).
                                    • Section 65(1)(j): amended, on , by section 5(b) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 109).
                                    • Section 65(2): inserted, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).
                                    • Section 65(3): inserted, on , by section 8 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).