Wildlife rehabilitation licences

We will only consider applications for a new group wildlife rehabilitation licence when we publish a call for applications.

We will only publish a call for applications when we identify a gap or inadequacy in service provision that cannot be filled by an existing licensed group.

As there is no current call for applications, prospective wildlife rehabilitators should align with an existing licensed wildlife rehabilitation group.

Find out more about Getting involved in native wildlife rehabilitation.

We will only consider an application for a new individual wildlife rehabilitation licence provided you:

• reside outside of the authorisation area of any existing licensed wildlife rehabilitation groups
• have experience rehabilitating local native animal species
• give a formal written undertaking to comply with the approved Codes of Practice and Guidelines.

Contact the Wildlife Team to discuss.

The Rehabilitation of Protected Native Animals Policy defines our relationship with wildlife rehabilitators and outlines how we regulate wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

Key elements of the policy include:

• our strategic approach to licensing wildlife rehabilitation groups, which focuses on an area-based licensing system and consolidating existing services
• our specified level of engagement with groups including attending meetings, contributing to training courses and auditing rehabilitation facilities.

Wildlife rehabilitators must comply with our approved codes of practice. The Codes set out the minimum standards and guidelines for rescue, rehabilitation and release of native animals incapable of fending for themselves in their natural habitat. The Codes have been prepared in consultation with key partners in the sector including members of the NSW Wildlife Council, Taronga Conservation Society, WIRES and other relevant species experts.

Compliance with the standards in the Codes is a condition of wildlife rehabilitation licences. We undertake audits of wildlife rehabilitation facilities to assess compliance. Failure to meet the standards may constitute grounds for suspending or cancelling a licence.

There is a general code of practice for injured, sick and orphaned protected animals and a series of species-specific codes that complement the general code:

• Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Protected Fauna
• Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Birds of Prey
• Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Flying-foxes
• Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Koalas
• Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Macropods
• Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Wombats

The Codes of Practice are complemented by guidelines for the initial care and treatment of native animals. These documents aim to give guidance to licensed wildlife rehabilitators on assessment and first aid treatment principles for native animals first presenting for care.

• Guidelines for the initial treatment and care of rescued koalas

Wildlife rehabilitators must deliver training in compliance with our training standards, which set out the minimum training requirements to equip new learners with the information and skills necessary to care for a particular species. The training standards are based on the relevant Codes of Practice and will give greater certainty about the quality of care provided to wildlife in rehabilitation. The provision of minimum training standards for the volunteer wildlife rehabilitation sector is a product of the NSW Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Sector Strategy.

We prepared the training standards in consultation with leading wildlife rehabilitation providers, including members of the NSW Wildlife Council, Taronga Conservation Society and Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES).

These training standards are for volunteers working in koalas rehabilitation. Additional training standards for other species are currently in development.

Each set of standards is accompanied by a trainers guide to assist wildlife rehabilitator trainers in understanding, implementing and training to these standards.

• Koala Rehabilitation Training Standards for the Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Sector

All wildlife rehabilitation licences are granted with conditions. Under the BC Act, it is an offence to contravene a condition of a licence.

View the wildlife rehabilitation licence conditions (PDF 36KB).

The Code of Practice for Injured, Sick and Orphaned Protected Fauna provides for standardised reporting of the rescue and fate of sick and injured animals. The implementation of these standards enables land managers to better understand and respond to trends impacting on native species.

Licensed wildlife rehabilitators should use the wildlife rehabilitation data collection spreadsheet (XLS 727KB) for annual record keeping. The key data fields are those documenting the name of the species, where the animal was found, the likely cause of injury and its ultimate fate. For further information wildlife rehabilitators should read the Data reporting instructions for the volunteer wildlife rehabilitation sector.

Renewal of wildlife rehabilitation licences is dependent upon the submission of annual records.

NSW wildlife rehabilitation groups are authorised to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured or orphaned native animals under a wildlife rehabilitation licence and mostly operate in defined geographic areas (PDF 7.9MB) across New South Wales. Some groups specialise in particular native species, such as koalas, flying-foxes or marine wildlife, whereas others cover a wide range of species.

The table below contains the contact details of licensed NSW wildlife rehabilitation groups, the species they specialise in and their area of operation. A map is provided where relevant.