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Wildlife Act 1953

General provisions - Offences and penalties

67A: Penalties for offences in respect of absolutely protected wildlife

You could also call this:

"Penalties for hurting or harming totally protected New Zealand animals"

If you break the rules about absolutely protected wildlife, you can get in trouble. You might go to prison for up to 2 years or have to pay a fine of up to $100,000, or both. This applies if you are an individual.

If you are a company, you can get a fine of up to $200,000. These rules apply to things like capturing or exporting absolutely protected wildlife, as stated in section 56(5)(a), or hunting or killing absolutely protected wildlife, as stated in section 63(1A)(a). You can also get in trouble for receiving absolutely protected wildlife taken without authority, as stated in section 65(2)(a), or for being a party to an offence committed in respect of absolutely protected wildlife, as stated in section 65(3)(a).

These penalties are for breaking the rules about absolutely protected wildlife. You should know what these rules are to avoid getting in trouble. The rules are in place to protect the wildlife.

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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=DLM278179.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawEnvironment and resources > Conservation
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Part 5General provisions
Offences and penalties

67APenalties for offences in respect of absolutely protected wildlife

  1. Every person who commits an offence against any of the provisions listed in subsection (2) is liable on conviction to,—

  2. in the case of an individual, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine not exceeding $100,000, or both:
    1. in the case of a body corporate, a fine not exceeding $200,000.

      1. The provisions are—

      2. section 56(5)(a) (which relates to capturing, having in possession for the purpose of liberating, or exporting absolutely protected wildlife):
        1. section 63(1A)(a) (which relates to hunting, killing, buying, or selling absolutely protected wildlife, or robbing or disturbing the nest of absolutely protected wildlife):
          1. section 65(2)(a) (which relates to receiving absolutely protected wildlife taken without authority):
            1. section 65(3)(a) (which relates to being a party to an offence committed in respect of absolutely protected wildlife).

              Notes
              • Section 67A: inserted, on , by section 6 of the Wildlife (Penalties and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 43).
              • Section 67A(1): replaced, on , by section 29 of the Conservation (Natural Heritage Protection) Act 2013 (2013 No 89).