Wildlife management and control authorisations

An Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) is an authorisation issued under section 28A or section 28A(1A) of the Wildlife Act 1975 which allows a person to shoot, wilfully disturb or trap wildlife where it is damaging property, crops or other wildlife habitat or for the purposes of management, conservation or protection of wildlife. In Victoria, all wildlife is protected under the Wildlife Act. It is illegal to disturb or destroy wildlife without an appropriate authorisation, licence or exemption.

Land managers must exhaust all practical non-lethal control options before applying for an ATCW for lethal control, which is a last resort. Some non-lethal control options may require an ATCW.

The use of fencing to exclude wildlife from an area or compliant netting to protect fruit trees does not require an ATCW. Routine activities such as mowing, driving through paddocks to check on stock or other activities which may cause wildlife to be unintentionally disturbed do not require an authorisation under the Wildlife Act.

If you would like more information about non-lethal control methods that do not require an ATCW please refer to the fact sheets at www.wildlife.vic.gov.au or call DELWP on 136 186.

There are also other exceptions when an ATCW is not required, including:

• shooting Eastern or Western Grey Kangaroos if you are using an authorised harvester as part of the Kangaroo Harvesting Program
• if you engage a DELWP licensed Wildlife Controller for reptiles that are posing a safety risk to humans
• where a species of wildlife has been declared by Governor in Council Orders as unprotected (noting only in the circumstances specified in the order).

You need to have an ATCW before:

• shooting wildlife
• wilfully disturbing wildlife (for example relocating wildlife)
• removing nests with eggs and/or birds sitting on the nest
• trapping wildlife.

Before applying for an ATCW, you must identify the species causing the problem and considered all practical non-lethal wildlife control methods, including:

• exclusion techniques (e.g. fencing or compliant netting)
• techniques to modify the animal's behaviour (e.g. habitat modification)
• modifying agricultural practices (e.g. avoiding aerial seeding or spillages or grain).

Often a combination of methods is required. To effectively resolve a problem, plan ahead and be persistent.

All practical non-lethal control methods must be considered before you apply for an ATCW for lethal control.

Applications for an ATCW must be made on the form provided by the Conservation Regulator. The application form is available below or can now apply online.

Applications must be complete and include all required information.

Further information to assist you completing your application is available in the Guide to applying for an Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW).

The Conservation Regulator undertakes a rigorous assessment of all ATCW applications to ensure that they meet the requirements of the Wildlife Act 1975. Your application will be assessed by a Forest and Wildlife Officer who may also contact you to organise a time to inspect your property to confirm the wildlife issues, including any damage being caused and any steps you have put in place to try to manage the issue.

The Conservation Regulator will assess what is practical on a case-by-case basis, considering what is achievable for individual landholders.

These include, but are not limited to:

• the wildlife impact to the landholder
• the impact on wildlife, including animal welfare and potential population impacts
• the extent to which non-lethal control methods have been undertaken and their effectiveness
• the impact of the proposed control, including on non-target species, local environmental values and neighbours
• timing of the control (particularly in relation to non-lethal control options)
• other management options being undertaken in the area that might impact the local wildlife population.

In considering an application, the Conservation Regulator needs to be assured that there has been adequate assessment of the management options available and that any authorised control is consistent with the requirements of the Wildlife Act. In some cases, the Conservation Regulator may seek independent expert advice or require the property owner/manager to submit a Wildlife Management Plan to support the application.

All ATCWs are assessed individually by the Conservation Regulator. The translocation of wildlife is rarely supported because of the potential for negative animal welfare impacts, risks to the environment and limited locations to where wildlife can be moved to. The costs associated with translocation of wildlife can also be significant.

Sadly, there are animal welfare risks associated with capturing and/or translocating wildlife, including –

• capture myopathy in which muscle damage occurs (even when an animal is sedated) which can be fatal
• injuries or death as a result of fighting with existing populations;
• increased road safety incidents as a result of animals attempting to move back to their original location or not settling into their new location;
• starvation and disease risks in the medium to longer-term resulting from over-population;

For more information, visit Translocation of Wildlife page on the DELWP website.

There are other requirements you might need to consider before controlling wildlife:

Anyone shooting wildlife must also comply with the Firearms Act 1996.

Depending on the location, you may need to obtain a Public Place Permit from Victoria Police before shooting wildlife in accordance with an ATCW. Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information about matters regarding firearms please visit the Victoria Police website or call 1300 651 645.

It is your responsibility to check:

• with your local councils’ bylaws to see if any of your proposed control methods require approval or have conditions of use
• whether the proposed control methods or the disposal of any carcasses do not breach any restriction from the Environment Protection Act 2017 or regulations made under the Act such as Environment Protection Regulations 2021.

All ATCWs include strict conditions to ensure that animals are controlled humanely. It is the responsibly of the landowner or manager, or anyone acting on their behalf, to comply with the conditions.

The Conservation Regulator undertakes proactive compliance activities to ensure permit holder comply with the conditions of their licence.

Failing to comply with these conditions is a breach of the Wildlife Act 1975 and could result in cancellation of the ATCW, as well as financial penalties and/or prosecution.