25 March 2019
We invite you to comment on the draft review by 24 May 2019.
The draft review is available on the department website. You can now submit comments at Have Your Say.
We initiated this review after submissions from the Australian zoo community identifying these species as a priority to improve the genetic diversity of existing zoo collections in addition to contributing to international conservation efforts. The review takes into account current scientific information, international standards developed by the World Organisation for Animal Health, and relevant importation policies adopted by other countries.
This draft review has identified diseases of biosecurity concern for this commodity and we have undertaken risk assessments of these diseases.
The review proposes to:
- Allow the importation of zoo bovids and their semen into Australia from approved countries, subject to a range of biosecurity measures.
- Allow all species in the Bovidae family except for those in the Bovini tribe, Caprinae subfamily and Connochaetes genus (domestic cattle and buffalo species, sheep and goat species, and wildebeest species).
- Allow only animals that have been resident since birth or at least 12 months prior to export in zoo or wildlife parks that are approved, licensed or registered by the exporting country.
- Apply biosecurity risk mitigation measures including disease freedom periods and testing in quarantine for the diseases identified by this review.
We invite comments on technical aspects of the proposed measures. We are particularly interested in your comments about the appropriateness of these measures and any other measures that would provide equivalent risk management outcomes.
We will carefully consider all submissions before finalising this review.
To receive information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses online subscription service to Biosecurity Risk Analysis Animal. Subscribers will receive biosecurity advice notices and other notifications about animal biosecurity policy.
[signed]
Dr Beth Cookson
Assistant Secretary
Animal Biosecurity
Email: Animal