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Commercial licence conditions

Wildlife Displayer Licence Guide

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Conditions that apply to all commercial wildlife licence holders, including wildlife displayers, as specified in the Wildlife Regulations

Employees

  1. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence that the licence holder must ensure that all employees of the licence holder who are employed to engage in conduct on behalf of the licence holder under that licence are aware of, and competent in, the scope of activities which may be undertaken on behalf of the licence holder under the wildlife licence.
  2. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence that the licence holder must provide a copy of the wildlife licence to an employee before that employee can undertake any activity on behalf of the licence holder under that licence.
  3. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence that the licence holder must take reasonable steps to ensure that the employee carries a legible copy of the licence when undertaking any activity under the licence.

Wildlife Regulations 2024, Reg 58

Objective

To ensure all employees are aware of the requirements under the licences and maintain wildlife welfare under the licence.

How to comply

You are required to take reasonable steps to ensure employees are trained to prevent conduct that is in breach of your licence. You are liable as the licence holder for the conduct of your employees unless you have taken reasonable steps to ensure they avoid this conduct. Train your employees in all activities they will undertake under the licence, including the specific requirements outlined in this guide.

You must provide a copy of your licence to your employees prior to them undertaking any activity on your behalf and ensure your employee carries (when away from the specified premises) or has access to (at the specified premises) a copy of your licence when undertaking licensed activities.

If the licence holder is not present at the specified premises on a given day, they should ensure that an employee of appropriate capability is clearly responsible for meeting the following regulatory and/or best practice care requirements, such as:

  • daily feeding, watering and inspection of animals
  • daily cleaning of facilities
  • monitoring animal welfare and taking appropriate steps to care for sick or injured animals
  • generally assisting in maintaining the environmental quality in each enclosure
  • maintaining appropriate records of any transactions and display opening hours under the licence.

Employees should also be trained in the skills of capture, handling and management of wildlife as permitted by your licence. It is recommended that employees undertake an appropriate course for the handling of animals.

It is recommended that employees should be trained in first aid for both animals and humans. When handling or capturing venomous snakes, it is particularly important that staff are capable of applying the correct first-aid treatment for snakebite.

You should provide your employees with adequate safeguards to protect their health. This may include, but is not limited to, appropriate handwashing facilities, protective clothing and equipment, tetanus immunisation and access to antivenenes where interaction with venomous snakes occurs in the course of their duties. You must also implement appropriate hygiene measures to prevent the transmission of disease-causing organisms which can be transmitted to humans (zoonoses). This is particularly important for species known for harbouring zoonoses.

If your employees change, you must notify the Conservation Regulator. Refer to Change of staff.

Change of staff

  1. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence that, within 10 business days of employing any person to engage in conduct under that licence on the licence holder’s behalf, the licence holder must notify the relevant body in writing of the following details—
    1. the name, date of birth, telephone number and residential address of the person employed;
    2. the capacity in which the person is employed;
    3. the date on which the person commenced employment with the licence holder.
  2. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence that the licence holder must notify the relevant body in writing within 10 business days after a person who is employed to engage in conduct on behalf of the licence holder under that licence ceases to be an employee of the licence holder.

Wildlife Regulations 2024, Reg 37

Objective

To maintain oversight of all persons in Victoria engaging with wildlife under a licence.

How to comply

An employee is a person registered under the business to carry out activities on behalf of the licence holder.

You must notify the Conservation Regulator within 10 business days of any changes to the employment status of employees who undertake activities in accordance with your wildlife licence.

You can notify us by completing the Changes to Employee Employment Status form(opens in a new window) on our website.

An updated licence and employee register will be provided to the licence holder following notification.

Volunteers

Volunteers are not the same as employees.

Volunteers do not have authority to possess wildlife. This means they are not permitted to directly undertake licensed activities on behalf of the licence holder. Under Regulation 139 of the Wildlife Regulations 2024, volunteers can carry out activities under the licence, such as animal care and husbandry, under direct supervision of the licence holder or employee. This may include cleaning enclosures, feeding, watering and inspection of wildlife.

Volunteers can assist in delivery of display or demonstration of wildlife, at the specified premises or anywhere else in Victoria where they are directly supervised by the licence holder or a licence employee. This includes handling wildlife.

Direct supervision means that the number of volunteers and the wildlife being supervised is kept to manageable numbers if intervention was required, and that volunteers and wildlife in their possession are always within sight and hearing of the licence holder or employee.

If you are unsure, call or email us. Refer to Employees for guidance on staff capability.

Email wildlifelicensing@deeca.vic.gov.au
Call DEECA Customer Contact 136 186

Change of responsible person

It is a condition of any wildlife licence held by a person who is not a natural person that the licence holder must notify the relevant body in writing within 10 business days of any change of the natural person who is responsible for managing the activities authorised under the licence.

Wildlife Regulations 2024, Reg 36 (2)

Objective

To ensure licence details are up to date and the person responsible for the wildlife licence is identifiable.

How to comply

You must notify the Conservation Regulator within 10 business days to any change to the nominated responsible natural person listed on the licence, where the licence is issued to a business. You can do this by completing the Changes to Employee Employment Status form(opens in a new window) available at the Conservation Regulator website.

An amended licence will be provided via post.

Signage requirement and sign template

  1. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence…that the licence holder at all times must display a sign stating the following words—
    1. “The wildlife on these premises are possessed under a licence issued under the Wildlife Act 1975”; and
    2. “Wildlife must not be taken from the wild without a licence, permit or authority issued under the Wildlife Act 1975”.
  2. It is a condition of any commercial wildlife licence… that the licence holder must ensure that any sign which is required to be displayed by subregulation (1)—
    1. is positioned at the main entrance to the premises specified in the licence; and
    2. is in a position that is obvious and easily readable for all visitors to the premises or wildlife display or wildlife demonstration; and
    3. has a white background, with lettering in black block type of not less than 30 millimetres in height; and
    4. is maintained in good condition so that it is easily readable at all times.

Wildlife Regulations 2024, Reg 59

Objective

To prevent the illegal possession of wildlife and illegal take of wildlife from the wild. Signage provides the community assurance that wildlife at the premises is responsibly sourced and safeguarded under an appropriate licence. It also indicates to the public the existence of the licensing system, and that it is illegal to take any wildlife from the wild.

How to comply

You must have a sign or signs that are positioned at each public access point of your display premises. Nothing should be obstructing or placed in front of the signs.

Your signs should be easy for visitors to read. Ensure the sign/s are printed on a white background, in a block font and with a font size at least 30 millimetres in height. A good option is Arial font in size 72 point.

You are required to keep the sign/s in good condition. If the sign/s are stained, damaged or torn you will need to replace them.

Wildlife on these premises are possessed under a licence issued under the Wildlife Act 1975

Wildlife must not be taken from the wild without a licence, permit, or authority issued under the Wildlife Act 1975

Further information

Download template sign for wildlife display

You can download and print the linked PDF to meet the requirements of Regulation 59, Signage requirement.

Wildlife demonstrator and display sign template
PDF 60.77 KB
(opens in a new window)

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