Dear editor,

On June 28 I was verbally advised by a Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission ranger that I needed a ‘keep permit’ for practically every exhibit in my collection of taxidermic animals and other animal parts.

This includes exhibits imported through Australian customs and quarantine and ferals procured here inside Australia.

This interpretation also includes Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora approved exhibits, and even antique exhibits acquired prior to CITIES in 1972.

These permits imply the Crown owns the exhibit, and it is only legal inside the NT with the consent granted by a permit.

These permits expire every two years, requiring NT Parks and Wildlife Commission consent to acquire another permit to be legal.

This interpretation includes all naturally cast deer antlers and antelope and horns, bone, tooth, skin, hoof, shell, tusk, along with most birds, most reptiles, most other animals and parts thereof. I require permission to own all of these in the NT.

I am required to have government consent to possess what I legally acquired and own, be it a mule, European fox, dingo, or feral deer, every two years.

I am required to obtain consent for a chital deer preserved in 1982, a fox from 1983, and a red deer from 1984. I am also required to obtain consent for a 1984 chamois, and a 1991 Himalayan tahr, both imported from New Zealand through customs.

I have written to the appropriate NT minister five times over three weeks without any meaningful engagement.

This reverse interpretation, makes the NT Parks and Wildlife Commission custodians of approx 11,733 reptile, 11,188 bird, and 6,596 mammal species globally.

This will negatively impact pubs and clubs, hunters and collectors, and home decorators, for no meaningful wildlife conservation.

Stephen Barnes, Moil

If you want your letter to the editor published send it to ntindependent@protonmail.com. Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. We will only publish your name and suburb or town. We do reserve the right to edit the letter for length and clarity purposes. PRIVACY POLICY: You can find our privacy policy by clicking here.