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Buying, selling and exporting wildlife

Here's what you should know about buying wildlife parts and products in Yukon, and taking them out of the territory.

 

Before You Buy It

What are wildlife parts and products?

Wildlife parts include antlers, hides, claws, feathers, fur, teeth, meat, and all other parts of the carcass. Wildlife products include carvings, tanned hides, taxidermy items and any other products made from wildlife parts. The buying and selling of these items is regulated by wildlife conservation laws.

Why you should avoid the black market

If you buy a wildlife part or product from an unlicensed business or a poacher, the item may be seized or you may be refused an export permit. Either way, you will have lost your purchase.

Why you should buy from a licensed business

Buying from a licensed craft shop, taxidermist or tanner is much safer than buying off the street. These people work hard at their businesses and
are unlikely to take risks. If you need advice about a buying opportunity, phone an Environment Yukon office.

Private sales must be licensed

If you want to buy a wildlife part from a person, ask them to get a permit for the sale. The sale is not legal unless a permit has been issued prior to
the transaction taking place.

Before you take it out of Yukon

The movement of wildlife parts out of Yukon is regulated by wildlife conservation laws.

If you buy it

If you buy antlers, horns, pelts, or other wildlife parts, you must get an export permit from an Environment Yukon office before you take or send them out of Yukon.

If you found it

If you want to keep any part of a wildlife carcass you've found, you must first bring the item to an Environment Yukon Conservation Officer to apply for a permit. Permits cannot be issued for certain species protected by by federal legislation. 

A naturally shed antler (one which has the burr at its base intact) from moose, caribou, elk and deer may be kept without a permit.

If you hunt it

If you have a successful hunt and want to take antlers, meat or any other part of the animal out of the Yukon, you need an export permit also.

Endangered species

Canada supports the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). You must get a CITES permit to take out of Canada any
part of a grizzly bear, black bear, polar bear, wood bison, wolf, lynx or otter. CITES permits require 24 hour advance notice. Many countries have additional requirements to import these species.

**New for 2017**

Environment Yukon only issues permits for grizzly bear, black bear, lynx, otter and wolf. All other species, including wood bison and polar bear, requires permit application directly through the Government of Canada.

• Government of Canada CITES permits and information

Be reminded that Environment Yukon cannot edit existing permits or reissue expired permits. Please contact Environment Yukon's Client Services if you have any questions.

Further information

• Before You Take It Out / Before You Buy It (Brochure) 232 KB

 

Contact Client Services Phone: 867-667-5652 Toll-free (in Yukon, NWT & Nunavut): 1-800-661-0408 ext. 5652 Fax: 867-393-7197 Email: environmentyukon@gov.yk.ca Address: Box 2703 (V-3A) Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Y1A 2C6