National wild animal recovery operations (WARO)
You need a WARO concession for deer, pig, goat and chamois carcass recovery and the live capture of deer, pig and goat.

New national WARO concession

The processing of new national WARO permits for WARO operators is complete. The new 2023-28 permit replaces the 2015-2018 permit and will be offered in accordance with the approved 2023 WARO land schedule.

2018 interim permits will now expire.

Final decisions are later than anticipated due to the complexity of the work, high-level of external interest and internal staff changes.

The WARO permit process page has more information on:

  • the approved reports summarising the permit and land schedule assessment process
  • types of issues raised
  • DOC decisions.

WARO concessions

When and why a WARO concession is needed:

  • a WARO concession is needed any time an aircraft is used commercially to search for, shoot or recover wild animals (or parts of wild animals) on public conservation land
  • wild animals like deer are present throughout the country with significant numbers in some places
  • New Zealand’s native plants and habitats are being eaten and damaged by wild animals, and the function of many ecosystems are being threatened
  • WARO, alongside recreational hunting and government operations, can play a role in managing deer and other wild animals on public conservation land.

A WARO concession is available for:

  • the supply of deer, pig, goat and chamois to Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) approved processors, and
  • live capture of the same wild animals (excluding chamois) to be placed on authorised properties.

Applicants must:

  • have a current supply contract with an approved processor, or a marketing entity that has a contract for processing carcasses with a MPI approved processor, and 
  • meet the MPI requirements for these activities. 

National WARO concessions exclude the carriage of either recreational hunters or fare paying passengers. See aerially assisted trophy hunting (AATH) or aircraft activities for more information.

Pre-application discussion

Applying for a concession for the first time can be a little tricky. To ensure your application goes smoothly, contact the staff in our Hokitika office. We’ll help you to:

  • Understand the concession you will need to apply for.
  • Navigate our statutory planning documents, so you can consider whether the activity you wish to undertake is consistent with them.
  • Understand DOC’s responsibility to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, which requires consultation with Treaty Partners on most applications. If you wish, DOC can help you contact the local iwi, hapū, and whānau to assess whether your proposed activity will have any cultural effects. Often this consultation can enhance the activity you are considering.

Type of WARO concession

The National WARO concessions on offer cover the recovery and capture of the following wild animals:

North Island: deer, pig and goat carcass recovery plus live capture of deer, pig and goat.

South Island: deer, pig chamois and goat carcass recovery and live capture of deer.

If you wish to apply for any other type of wild animal recovery operation contact our Christchurch office.

Apply for your concession

Your application fee is $2,065.00 plus GST for North Island or South Island concessions.

If your application is approved we will send you a contract which you must sign and return before proceeding with your activity.

Locations for the national WARO concession

Note: These 2023 maps are for information purposes only. They can only be used when permits are formally accepted by operators. Electronic GPX files will be made available to operators for use in helicopters .

Index map (PDF, 2263K)