Policy and registration requirement
- The State policy requires conserving, managing, and protecting wildlife resources while encouraging their sustainable use for present and future generations.
- The Order requires that all wild faunal species, including exotic species, that are possessed and maintained must be registered with the DENR.
- Registration is required even when animals are maintained for recreational, educational, research, or scientific purposes.
Coverage: who must register
- Registration applies to threatened, non-threatened and exotic faunal species in the possession of private persons and entities.
- Registration applies to animals maintained in parks, zoos, aviaries, circus, shows, rescue centers, and resorts, and similar facilities, for recreational, educational, research and/or scientific purposes.
- Registration also applies to wildlife acquired/purchased from legal sources, including facilities with Wildlife Farm Permit, Wildlife Collector's Permit, Certificate of Accreditation and Registration, Memorandum of Agreement, or any DENR clearance/permit.
- Legally acquired animals are allowed exemption from the Certificate of Wildlife Registration Fee.
Certificate of Wildlife Registration (CWR) fees
- Section 3 imposes fees for issuance of the CWR for non-threatened fauna species by headcount ranges.
- For non-threatened species (1–50 hd.), the fee is no registration fee except a minimal fee of PHP 50.00 to cover administrative cost and services.
- For non-threatened species, the fees are:
- 51–100 hd. — PHP 500.00
- 101–200 hd. — PHP 750.00
- 201 and above — PHP 1,000.00
- For threatened species (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects), the fees are by headcount ranges:
- 1–5 hd. — PHP 3,000.00
- 6–10 hd. — PHP 4,000.00
- 11–20 hd. — PHP 5,000.00
- 21–30 hd. — PHP 6,000.00
- 31 and above — PHP 7,000.00
- For threatened species that are critically endangered, the fee is PHP 5,000.00 per head.
- Conservation projects implemented by the Philippine Government Agency/Office or entity are exempt from fee payment under Section 3.
Application requirements for CWR
- Each applicant must submit the following:
- A duly accomplished application form secured at DENR Field Offices
- A Documentary Stamp to be affixed on the Certificate of Wildlife Registration
- An inventory list of wildlife
- The registration fee
- Application processing is tied to issuance of the CWR through compliance with the listed documentary and payment requirements.
CWR holder responsibilities and reports
- CWR holders must provide markings or identification tags, where appropriate, for parental stocks and progenies.
- CWR holders must allow authorized DENR personnel access to the wildlife and facilities for inspection and monitoring.
- CWR holders must acquire additional stocks only in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations, and only from facilities with DENR permits.
- CWR holders must submit the following reports:
- An annual inventory report
- Acquisition reports within 15 days from acquisition of new or additional stocks, with the condition that new/additional stocks are acquired only under the Order
- A production report within 30 days from the birth/hatching or production of captive-bred individuals
- A mortality report supported by a necropsy report issued by a licensed Veterinarian within 30 days from the death of the animals
- CWR holders must conduct other wildlife activities using registered wildlife in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Order.
Permits for local transport
- Transport of wild faunal species from a registered facility to another within the country must be accompanied by a permit.
- The transport permit must be secured from the nearest DENR Office.
Limits, prohibitions, and trade restrictions
- A CWR does not confer the privilege to collect animals from the wild.
- A CWR does not confer the privilege to purchase, exchange, or receive wild faunal species (including by-products) from illegal sources.
- A CWR does not confer the privilege to loan the animals or make the animals collateral for any transaction or financial obligation.
- The trade of registered threatened wild faunal species listed under DAO No. 2004-15 dated May 22, 2004 is prohibited.
Privileges of CWR holders
- CWR holders may utilize registered wildlife as an income-generating resource through recreation and educational activities.
- CWR holders may engage in captive breeding of registered wildlife and enter into a profit-sharing scheme with the DENR, subject to the Order and rules on commercial trade/use, including these conditions:
- Only registered progenies or those included in the List of Economically Important Species may be used for commercial purposes.
- A Wildlife Farm Permit must be secured from the DENR Regional Office in accordance with the Order.
- Facilities for captive breeding of species/subspecies listed under CITES Appendix I must be registered with the CITES Secretariat if the species are intended for export; progenies must be marked/tagged where appropriate following DENR procedures.
- Only captive-bred species listed under CITES Appendix I may be traded locally; export requires compliance with existing rules on commercial trade of CITES species.
- Exportation of progenies requires issuance of necessary export documents by DENR under existing laws, rules and regulations.
- CWR holders may exchange with and/or donate owned progenies to other CWR holders.
- CWR holders may avail of technical assistance from the DENR, its offices, and employees for management of wild fauna in their possession.
- Local trade or transfer/exchange of registered non-threatened faunal species is allowed if the sale/exchange is registered with the nearest DENR Office.
- The Order lists non-threatened examples that are allowed for local trade/transfer/exchange, including tree sparrows, chestnut manikin, nutmeg manikin, red avadavat, white breasted manikin, quails, crested myna, budgerigars, cockatiels, and finches (exotic).
- Transfer of registered threatened species is allowed only to an immediate family member within the 3rd degree of affinity or consanguinity, provided the recipient is registered with the DENR Office.
- In the absence of the qualified relatives, threatened species are transferable only to DENR or government institutions duly accredited by DENR.
Cancellation for violations and confiscation
- Deliberate disregard of the Order’s provisions results in automatic cancellation of the CWR.
- Automatic cancellation causes the confiscation of all existing animals in favor of the DENR.
- Confiscation is without prejudice to other measures provided by existing laws, rules and regulations.
Repealing clause and effectivity
- All orders, memoranda, circulars inconsistent with the Order are repealed and/or amended accordingly under Section 10.
- DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-62 takes effect immediately under Section 11.
- The Order was adopted on 12 Oct. 2004 and signed by MICHAEL T. DEFENSOR, Secretary.