In NSW all native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Act.

Schools are permitted to keep native animals if the following conditions are met. A teacher is responsible for the animals and: 

• holds a scientific licence
• has or gains an appropriate depth of understanding of the physical and behavioural needs of the species kept
• obtains animals from licensed breeders or keepers.

Scientific licences are issued by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water and allow native animals to be kept at school for educational purposes and be transported for holiday care.

There are two situations where teachers do not need to seek a scientific licence. These are as follows:

• Schools are automatically licensed by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water to collect up to 20 tadpoles to use for observation in the classroom. Tadpoles must not be collected from a National Park and the frogs must be released back to the water source from where they were originally collected. The species information, Frogs and toads (pdf 72kb) and Tadpole and frog information sheet (pdf 499kb) provides more information about this licence and advice about the care of tadpoles.
• There are 41 species of native birds that are an exception to this and may be kept without a scientific licence. A list of these species is available in the species information, Australian native animals (pdf 284kb).

For information about how to apply for a scientific licence and the conditions of this licence you should visit Scientific licences.