Do I need AEC approval for my 'observational' activity with wildlife?

When do I need to be registered and seek AEC approval to participate in activities that 'observe' free-living animals (wildlife) or to collect animal signs?

That depends. The term 'observational' means different things to different people. Some activities that people call 'observational' do need Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) approval, other activities may not. In addition, you may need AEC approval:

1. because it is required by law in  Queensland
2. because it is required by a funding body e.g. NHMRC, or
3. to comply with the policies of your institution.

Guidance on what 'observational' activities do and don't need AEC approval in order to comply with the law in Queensland is provided below. 

All activities that 'use' animals for scientific purposes in Queensland must be approved by an AEC. In particular, any activity that includes trapping or handling wildlife or abnormal disruption of habitat requires AEC approval.

Any activity that, in itself, does not 'use' animals in a scientific discipline does not require AEC approval to comply with the law in Queensland .

Guidelines for determining if an activity does or does not 'use' animals for scientific purposes under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (The Act).

Activities which, in themselves, do not 'use' animals for scientific purposes

No registration, AEC approval or reporting required by DPI&F Animal Welfare Unit

• Visual observation, not including spotlighting*
  e.g. bird watching and whale watching from public beach using the naked eye or binoculars

• Recording observations, note taking*

• Photographic, sound or digital recording*

• Collecting faeces (scats) and shed feathers*

• Searching for and recording animal tracks*

• Use of shallow sand pans to record animal tracks*

• No abnormal disruption of habitat
  e.g. walking, remaining or driving in places to which people typically have that type of access such as public or national parks, tracks and roadsides, farmland.

* only where this activity does not involve abnormal disruption of habitat

Activities that do 'use' animals for scientific purposes

Requires registration, AEC approval and must be reported

• Any activity for scientific purposes in which a person causes or permits an animal to be acquired, bred, cared for, disposed of or otherwise used

• Spotlighting or using light sources more powerful than a domestic torch for the purposes of visual observation to collect scientific data (as opposed to hunting) 

• Trapping of animals (Elliot, pitfall, nets etc)

• Using call playback to stimulate responses by animals

• Use of hair tubes to detect presence of animals

• Identifying animals by means of marking or placing on or in the animal any form of identifying mark or object
  e.g. includes paint or other external marker, microchipping, trimming hair, banding and tagging, toe clipping, ear punching

• Abnormal disruption of habitat
  e.g. turning over logs, entering or remaining in places that people do not normally access such as virgin forest, protected ecosystems, bird rookeries

Why does my funding body or institution require 'observational' activities to be approved by an AEC if it is not required to comply with the law in Queensland ?   

The Act limits the requirement of getting AEC approval to those activities that 'use' animals for a scientific purpose. However some funding bodies and institutions require AEC approval for activities that 'involve' or 'interact' with animals without 'using' them in order to meet funding body requirements or to comply with institutional policy. 

Who should I contact if I am not sure if my activity requires AEC approval?

Your AEC. They can advise you whether AEC approval is required either to comply with the law, to comply with funding body agreements or to comply with the policies of the registered institution. Your AEC may decide to seek clarification about legal requirements from the DPI&F Animal Welfare Unit.

If you don't currently access an AEC, the DPI&F Animal Welfare Unit will be able to provide advice on contacting an appropriate AEC.

Examples of when registration, AEC approval and animal use statistics reporting is required by law in Queensland:   

Animals 'used' for a scientific purpose includes observation with minor interference or higher category of impact

• bird-watching study that includes spotlighting or playback of bird calls
• wildlife survey involving trapping of animals in Elliot traps, pitfall traps, cage traps or nets
• reptile and amphibian survey where lizards and frogs are caught by hand, examined and released
• survey using hair tubes to identify mammals at development sites. 

Animals 'used' for a scientific purpose due to abnormal disruption of habitat

• government staff entering a bird rookery at a restricted site to collect data on the birds requiring close access to birds
• community group surveying frog and reptile species at a local creek including turning over logs and moving rocks
• collecting animal signs (scats, feathers) from occupied nests or near animal breeding, feeding or other sites that may cause abnormal disturbance to the animals or habitat.

Examples of when registration, AEC approval and animal use statistics reporting is not required by law in Queensland:

• community wildlife group conducts bird watching study (naked eye and binoculars only) in public parks and farmland to document species present and population sizes
• frog biodiversity interest group records frog sounds and sightings at creek from public track in national park
• collection of animal signs (scats, feathers etc) from road side or beside track in national park
• whale watching enthusiasts observe and record whales from a headland or outside the exclusion zone
• ecologists monitor and record platypus activity from canoe in midstream of creek to which the public has access.

Last updated 22 November 2006