Credit: Dianna Bisset | Wildlife Land Trust

The shocking scale of licensed wildlife killing in Australia

Australia’s native wildlife is being killed under government-issued permits in every state and territory. These permits allow thousands of animals—including kangaroos, possums, wombats, cockatoos and many others—to be intentionally killed each year, often with limited transparency and without requiring humane, non-lethal alternatives.

We are calling for urgent reform. Governments must prioritise science-based, humane management and end the routine reliance on killing.

Take action now and call for greater transparency, independent oversight, mandatory non-lethal solutions, and stronger protections for native wildlife. Your email will be sent to the appropriate decision-makers in your state or territory.

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{contact_data~title} {contact_data~firstName} {contact_data~lastName} {contact_data~suffix},
{contact_data~organization}

Dear {contact_data~salutation} {contact_data~lastName},

I am writing with concern about the scale of native wildlife killed each year under state and territory licensing regimes.

Public reporting shows that large numbers of kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, birds and other native animals are authorised for lethal control annually. In many cases, killing appears to be a routine management response rather than a genuine last resort.

Killing must not be the default response to wildlife conflict. Humane, non-lethal alternatives should be prioritised.

I urge your government to reform wildlife licensing laws to require clear evidence of damage, mandate the trial of non-lethal methods first, restrict permits to exceptional circumstances, strengthen oversight and competency standards, prohibit permits for threatened species, and ensure transparent public reporting.

These reforms would better reflect community expectations for humane, accountable wildlife management.

Yours sincerely,
{user_data~First name}

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