Wildlife Act, 1976

Export of fauna and flora.

53.—(1) Subject to section 52 (5) of this Act, the Minister may, after consultation with the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, by regulations prohibit the export, save under and in accordance with a licence granted by or on behalf of the Minister under this section, of all or any of the following:

(a) protected wild birds or protected wild animals of a species specified in the regulations,

(b) the dead body or the carcase either of a protected wild bird or protected wild animal of a species so specified,

(c) any part, other than the carcase, or any product of a wild animal or wild bird which is a part or product so specified,

(d) the eggs or spawn of a species of wild animal or wild bird which is so specified,

(e) wild plants which are of a species which is so specified and to which an order under section 21 of this Act for the time being applies,

(f) the flowers or roots of any such wild plant,

(g) any part, other than the flowers or roots, or any product of any such plant which is a part or product so specified.

(2) The Minister may grant to a person a licence to export any thing the export of which is prohibited by regulations made under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The Minister may authorise a person to grant on his behalf a licence mentioned in subsection (2) of this section.

(4) Any officer of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs may detain and examine and if necessary open for that purpose any postal packet addressed to a place outside the State and containing, or suspected by him of containing, any thing which is being exported in contravention of this section, and if a postal packet so detained contains any such thing, the officer of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs shall dispose of the packet and its contents in accordance with the instructions of the Minister.

(5) Nothing in this section shall restrict, prejudice or affect the functions of the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries under the Agricultural and Fishery Products (Regulation of Export) Act, 1947 , or functions which are for the time being transferred to and vested in the Minister for Industry and Commerce by an order under section 5 of that Act.