Wild Animal Control Act 1977

{{Short description|Act of Parliament in New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2013}}

{{Infobox legislation

| short_title = Wild Animal Control Act 1977

| legislature = New Zealand Parliament

| image = Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg

| imagesize = 180px

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| long_title = An Act to make better provision for the control of harmful species of introduced wild animals and the means of regulating the operations of recreational and commercial hunters, including wild animal recovery hunting using aircraft, so as to achieve concerted action and effective wild animal control, and to consolidate and amend the Noxious Animals Act 1956.

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| territorial_extent = New Zealand

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| royal_assent = 23 December 1977

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| date_commenced = 23 December 1977

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• Noxious Animals Act 1956
• Noxious Animals Amendment Act 1962
• Noxious Animals Amendment Act 1967

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| status = Current

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The Wild Animal Control Act 1977 is a current Act of Parliament in New Zealand. It is administered by the Department of Conservation.{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1977/0111/latest/whole.html#DLM17677|title=Wild Animal Control Act 1977|publisher=New Zealand Government|accessdate=17 February 2013}}

Part 3 of the Act establishes recreational hunting areas (RHAs). If the wild animal species are not kept in check, commercial hunting is allowed. At present the following RHAs have been established:{{cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/hunting/where-to-hunt/recreational-hunting-areas/|title=Recreational Hunting Areas (RHA): Hunting|publisher=Department of Conservation|accessdate=17 February 2013}}

• North Island:
• Kaweka (East Coast/Hawkes Bay)
• Kaimanawa (Tongariro/Taupo)
• North Pureora Conservation Park (Waikato)
• Haurangi (Wellington)
• South Island
• Blue Mountains - (Southland)
• Greenstone/Caples - beside Lake Wakatipu (Otago)
• Lake Sumner - Nina, Doubtful Range, North Hurunui and Hurunui restricted hunting block (Canterbury)
• Oxford - Mt Oxford and Mt Thomas forest parks (Canterbury)