This analysis reports the number of native animals reported killed under protection permits in Tasmania for the period  1/7/2013 to 6/6/2022.

10,420,536 native animals were killed in Tasmania in a nine year period from mid 2013 using ‘protection’ permits.

This list of Australian wildlife gives the number of individual animals killed (actual reported to comply with permit regulations) for the 9 year period commencing 1 July 2013.

The number of native animals reported killed in the period was 10,420,536, covering 30 native species. Macropod, Possum and Parrot species were the main animals targeted.

Data supplied by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania under the Right to Information Act 2009. Some permits issued in this list may be for trap and release but the high probability is that the vast majority of animals ‘controlled’ were shot. The use of poison (1080), although not recommended, is also allowed.

An optimistic view from the department which I would regard as nonsense speak claims that:

“The permits are for lethal control by shooting but it should be noted that the act of shooting also acts as a deterrent, hence take quotas are rarely filled”.

What this is likely to mean, similar in other states, is they are issuing permits (which is the case from the data) for such a large number of animals that land owners are running out of animals to kill in a given location and that is why they don’t meet quotas. If wildlife is driven from a property where it is being killed, it is likely to end up on an adjoining property which is also using permits to kill wildlife.

NOTE: Crop Protection Permits were discontinued from 1 December 2021 and replaced with Property Protection Permits.

‍

‍

THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS REPORTED CONTROLLED

1. Bare-nosed Wombat – 2,468
2. Bennett’s Wallaby (Red-necked Wallaby) – 1,176,002 (2019 – 6 June 2022 only)
3. Black Currawong – 553
4. Black Swan – 18,534
5. Brushtail Possum – 866,483
6. Cape Barren Goose – 5,510
7. Chestnut Teal – unknown
8. Eurasian Coot – 282
9. Forester Kangaroo – 57,616  
10. Galah – 277
11. Green Rosella – 891
12. Grey Currawong – 48
13. Grey Teal – unknown
14. Kelp Gull – 69
15. Little Black Cormorant – unknown
16. Masked Lapwing – 24
17. Mountain Duck – 11,239
18. Native Hen – 8,304
19. Noisy Miner - unknown
20. Pacific Black Duck - 466
21. Pacific Gull – 12
22. Purple Swamphen – 26
23. Rufous Wallaby (Pademelon) – 1,088,166 (2019 – 6 June 2022 only)
24. Silver Gull – 687
25. Silvereye – 3,572
26. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – 29,698
27. Wood Duck – 8,327
28. Yellow Wattlebird – 11
29. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo – 288

PERMIT TYPE ALTERNATIVES (combination) in the data until 1 July 2019, all other Wallaby / Possum data as separated above is post this period.

• Bennett’s and Rufous Wallaby – 1,573,721
• Bennett’s and Rufous Wallaby & Brushtail Possum – 5,566,690
• Corella and Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – 572
• Native Hen and Purple Swamphen - unknown
• Wild Duck – unknown  

Total number of wildlife killed (reported actual) for the 9 year period – 10,420,536

‍

NOTE: Crop Protection Permits, now Property Protection Permits for Bennett’s and Rufous Wallaby and Brushtail Possum are issued for five years. Data is representative of permit take returns that have been received by the Department to date. While not applicable to the statistics shown here which are actuals the department notes that the increase in number of Bennett’s and Rufous Wallaby and Brushtail Possum permits is due to the first tranche of five-year permits for these species issued in 2016 expiring hence their renewal in 2021.

‍