Travellers and online shoppers

Tourist souvenirs - Does your purchase meet Australia’s wildlife laws?

Some tourist souvenirs can threaten the most endangered species. You may be unaware that you are breaking the law by buying them or taking them from one country to another. For example, Tabua (whale tooth) and turtle shell (marine turtle) may both be made from threatened species whose trade for personal use is prohibited.

Sometimes traders will not tell you the truth about what their product is made from or where they obtained it. If you buy something locally, it does not necessarily mean you can take it overseas.

Don't be fooled by statements like: "Believe me, it's OK".

If you intend to buy or travel with wildlife products, contact the appropriate government departments before you leave or enter a country to find out if you need a permit.

Without the correct permit, your product maybe seized by border control officials. You may be subject to penalties or fines.

Online shopping - Does your purchase contain endangered species?

Exercise caution when buying or selling plant or animal products online your purchase could contain a regulated or endangered species

You may be purchasing products containing plants or animal derivatives that are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), from overseas based companies or you may be unaware of inclusion of plant or animal products in your purchases e.g. complementary medicines.

Before you receive mail from overseas be sure that any plant or animal products included in the item you wish to purchase can be imported legally into Australia.

If a product made from CITES listed plant or animal products is sent to you from overseas and is not accompanied by the proper permits, it may be seized by Customs and you could face severe penalties.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) provides a limited exemption to allow some CITES listed specimens that are personal or household effects to be exported and imported without permits.

Not all countries implement the personal and household effects exemption. Mainland China and New Zealand do not recognise the exemption, which means they always require permits for the export and import of CITES specimens. Other countries may change their rules about exemptions from time to time.

Under Australian law, the personal and household effects exemption never applies to specimens of elephants, cetacean species or African lions.

There are two categories of exemption: personal baggage and personal and household effects. Each of these has different requirements and may apply in different circumstances.

If you require further information, contact the Department of the Environment and Energy on +61 2 6274 1900 or email wildlife.trade@environment.gov.au.

Personal baggage

This exemption does not apply to items being imported as part of a household move.

A non-live Appendix II specimen carried in personal baggage (worn on the person or contained in accompanied baggage) may be exempt from Australian import permit requirements so long as all of the conditions below are met:

• the exporting country has issued a valid CITES export permit,
• the specimen is not intended for sale or commercial purposes,
• the specimen is not included on the List of CITES species that always require a CITES import permit, and
• any quantitative limit that applies to the specimen has been met (refer to Specimens subject to quantitative limits).

Personal and household effects

Exemption from import permit requirements

A non-live Appendix II CITES listed specimen may be exempt from Australian import permit requirements if the specimens is:

• lawfully acquired,
• personally owned,
• moved as a personal effect (worn on the person or contained in accompanied baggage) or as part of a household move, and is:
  • included on the list of Specimens subject to quantitative limits, or
  • an Appendix II specimen being imported from one of the countries on the List of countries for personal and household effects exemption

For this exemption to apply, all of the following conditions must be met:

• a permit is not required to export the specimen from the country where it was taken from the wild,
• the specimen is not intended for sale or commercial purposes, and
• the specimen is not on the List of CITES species that always require a CITES import permit

Exemption from export permit requirements

A non-live CITES listed specimen may be exempt from Australian export permit requirements if the specimens is:

• lawfully acquired,
• personally owned,
• moved as a personal effect (worn on the person or contained in accompanied baggage) or as part of a household move, and is:
  • included on the list of Specimens subject to quantitative limits

For this exemption to apply, all of the following conditions must be met:

• the trade will not have an adverse effect on the conservation status of a species or ecosystem;
• the specimen is not intended for sale or commercial purposes, and
• the specimen is not on the List of CITES species that always require a CITES import permit

Exemption from export requirements for native plant and animal specimens that are not listed on CITES

You do not need a permit to export an Australian native specimen that meets all the conditions below:

• the species is on the list of exempt native specimens (LENS) (in the exact form as listed and subject to conditions listed in the notation). You can find this out on the LENS section of the Australian natives page,
• the item is carried in your personal baggage,
• the item is not a live plant or animal,
• the item is not carried in commercial quantities,
• the item is owned by the person taking it out of Australia,
• the species is not listed under CITES.

Specimens subject to quantitative limits

The following specimens are subject to quantitative limits:

1. Caviar of sturgeon species (Acipenseriformes spp.) – up to 125 grams (maximum) per person where the container has been labelled using valid, non-reusable labels with codes as required by CITES (e.g. from country of origin: HUS/W/RU/2000/xxxx/yyyy, or if repackaged: PER/W/IR/2001/IT-wwww/zzzz);
2. Rainsticks of Cactaceae spp. – up to three specimens per person;
3. Crocodile products – up to four specimens per person;
4. Queen conch (Strombus gigas) shells – up to three specimens per person;
5. Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) – up to four specimens per person;
6. Giant clam (Tridacnidae spp.) shells – up to three specimens, each of which may be one intact shell or two matching halves, and not exceeding 3 kg per person;

List of countries for personal and household effects exemption

If all other conditions for exemption are met, Appendix II non-live specimens being imported from one of the countries listed below do not require any CITES documentation. Any relevant quantitative specimen limits should be complied with.

List of CITES species that always require a CITES import permit

A CITES permit is always required for imports of the following species or groups of species into Australia. Exemptions do not apply to these species:

• birds of prey (Order Falconiformes and Order Strigiformes)
• otters (Sub family Lutrinae)
• non-domesticated cats (Family Felidae)
• bears (Family Ursidae)
• seals (Genus Arctocephalus)
• rhinoceroses (Family Rhinocerotidae)
• Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia)
• Jentink’s duiker (Cephalophus jentinki)
• Hartmann’s mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae)
• hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious)
• lechwe (Kobus leche)
• bighorn or mountain sheep (Ovis canadensis).

Commonly seized items that are made from plant or animal products include the following:

Complementary medicines

Some complementary medicines, also known as 'traditional' or 'alternative' medicines, contain ingredients from endangered species such as tiger, bear, monkey, saussurea/aucklandia (found in Po Chai pills). Before buying complementary medicines, check the ingredients carefully and find out if they may be brought into Australia. You can find a guide about this on our wildlife trade resources page.

Hoodia

Hoodia is an appetite suppressant from the Hoodia plant, which is at risk of becoming endangered. You won’t need an import permit if you are carrying it in your personal baggage for personal use however you will need to obtain a CITES export permit from the country you get it from. Be aware, some companies have been known to provide clients with a photocopy of an existing certificate. This is not sufficient to import your goods. You must obtain a valid CITES (re)export permit from the CITES Management Authority of the exporting country.

Elephant products and ivory

Elephant products such as ivory are highly sought after in some countries for jewellery and ornaments. Elephant specimens are also traded as hunting trophies and leather goods. To import or export elephant items, you require a pre-Convention certificate. You can find out more about pre-Convention certificates on our vintage page, and Ivory, rhino horn and other elephant and rhino products page.

Corals, clams and shells

Many corals, clams and some shells—and jewellery made from these items—need a permit to bring them into, or take them out of, Australia.

Hunting trophies

Many animals that are commonly targeted by trophy hunters have been included on the list of endangered species. Depending on the animal, the trophy may not be brought into Australia, or may need a permit to do so.

Reptile leather items

Many leather fashion items including bags, shoes and watch straps are made from species listed on CITES Appendix II. You may need a CITES export permit from the country you get it from. Please refer to the personal baggage section above for further information.

Live Australian animals and plants

Live Australian native animals and plants may not leave Australia for commercial uses under any circumstances. You may be allowed to take certain species out of Australia under limited circumstances, for example some species may be exported as household pets. You can find this out on the household pets page.

Australian native animal and plant specimens (not live)

Australian native plants and animals are regulated under national environment law. All Australian native wildlife is prohibited from export unless the species appears on the list of exempt native specimens (LENS). You can find this out on the LENS section of the Australian natives page.