Strong support for replacing the Wildlife Act
In 2022, the Department began a first principles review of the Wildlife Act 1953. DOC held 40 hui with tangata whenua, key stakeholders and statutory bodies to hear their views on the problems with the current Act, how to improve it, and their aspirations for future species management.
The feedback from this engagement indicated that there is widespread support for reforming the Wildlife Act and a shared vision for indigenous species to be thriving.
As work on the review progressed, DOC received valuable advice from an independent expert Strategic Oversight Group. The group brought diverse skills and expertise in:
- te ao Māori
- conservation
- law and environmental policy
- tourism
- science
- game animal management
- governance.
The 10 members of the group were: Aroha Mead (chair), Bruce Clarkson, Debs Martin, Garry Ottmann, Greg Duley, Hoani Langsbury, Jacinta Ruru, Nicola MacDonald, Rebecca Ingram, and Shay Schlaepfer.
Read the Strategic Oversight Group advice provided to the Minister (PDF, 284K) on 27 April 2023.
Issues with the current Act
Repealing and replacing the Wildlife Act is an opportunity to consider the best way to protect our precious taonga species and to address issues.
The current Act lacks a clear purpose and has lost coherence. It also does not:
- adequately provide for the range of interests and uses people have in relation to species today
- provide a clear framework to resolve competing interests and conflicts between protecting species and enabling activities that affect them, including those with significant social or economic benefits
- reflect modern Māori-Crown relations and has barriers to meeting the Crown’s Treaty of Waitangi obligations
- explicitly consider the status of protected species, including whether they are threatened, taonga, or iconic.
View a summary of the current Wildlife Act 1953.
May 2025 update: Wildlife Act amendments
On 8 May 2025, Parliament amended the Wildlife Act. This amendment fixed a specific, narrow legal issue that arose in March 2025 following a High Court decision. The decision put at risk DOC’s ability to regulate and manage incidental harm to wildlife during activities such as new housing and wind farms.
The changes to the Wildlife Act restore DOC’s ability to manage incidental harm as it did before the decision, while maintaining the protective purpose of the Act. They also validate existing permits provided that the permit holders comply with the conditions in them.
July 2026 update: Wildlife approvals in the Natural Environment Bill (NEB)
The Government has decided to include a provision in the NEB (clause 128) to enable regional councils to issue wildlife approvals for activities that also require a natural resource permit. For example, projects such as roadworks, sea walls, wind farms, mines, and housing developments.
Currently, developers, infrastructure providers, and other operators often need to go to two agencies—their council and DOC—for permits related to wildlife protected by the Wildlife Act. In the new system, they will be able to apply for all required approvals from a regional council. This change aims to simplify the approvals process for applicants while maintaining protections for wildlife.
To issue an approval, regional councils will need to apply the wildlife decision-making framework in Schedule 2A of the NEB.
Safeguards for protected wildlife are built into the new system, including safeguards for individual animals, local populations, and species.
DOC will continue to issue wildlife permits under the Wildlife Act for activities on Crown public conservation land managed by DOC and in marine reserves. DOC will also continue to issue wildlife permits for activities that do not require a natural resource permit such as research and holding wildlife in captivity.
Next steps
The Wildlife Act review was on hold from early 2025 to mid-2026, but remains a priority. Updates on this work will be provided on this web page.
Further information
Review of the Wildlife Act
- July 2023 Cabinet paper report back on the review of the Wildlife Act 1953 (PDF, 1622K) and its A3 appendix overview of the review (PDF, 350K)
May 2025 amendment of the Wildlife Act
- Factsheet (PDF, 240K)
- Media release 8 May 2025: Wildlife Act fix enables economic growth with animal protection
- Cabinet papers and briefings on the amendment that have been proactively released
2026 wildlife approvals provisions in the Natural Environment Bill