TOTAL ANIMALS USED: 314,571
A total of 314,571 animals used for research, testing and teaching purposes were reported in 2017, that's 60,508 more than the previous year, a 24% increase.
The rolling 3-year average was 264,648, up 0.5% from the previous year.
NUMBER OF ANIMALS WHO DIED: 168,452 (54%)
A total of 168,452 animals died or were euthanased during, or after, manipulations in 2017. This is 54% of the total number of animals used that year.
PURPOSES
Animals were used in the following ways in 2017:
- Basic biological research: 128,896
- Veterinary research: 32,255
- Teaching: 44,871
- Animal husbandry research: 42,025
- Medical research: 25,151
- Testing: 23,387
- Environmental management research: 7,981
- Species conservation: 7,261
- Other: 725
- Production of biological agents: 2,019
- Development of alternatives: 0
TYPES OF ANIMALS
The following animals were used in 2017:
- Amphibia: 66
- Birds: 33,355
- Cats: 1099
- Cows: 44,007
- Cephalopods/crustaceans: 4,028
- Deer: 1,537
- Dogs: 888
- Fish: 101,167
- Goats: 3297
- Guinea pigs: 1,952
- Horses/donkeys: 756
- Marine mammals: 698
- Mice: 52,196
- Pigs: 455
- Possums: 983
- Rabbits: 1,208
- Rats: 7,592
- Reptiles: 1,096
- Sheep: 57,436
- Misc. species: 755
ORGANISATION TYPE
The following types of organisations used animals in 2017:
- Universities: 154,515
- Commercial organisations: 77,893
- Crown Research Institutes: 34,336
- Other (non-university medical research institutes, zoos/wildlife parks and individuals): 17,702
- Government departments: 3,249
- Polytechnics and institutes of technology: 9,925
- Schools: 16,951
SOURCE
Animals were sourced from the following places in 2017:
- Farms: 121,462
- Breeding units: 69,771
- Captured: 59,809
- Commercial sources: 34,440
- Public sources: 17,929
- Born during project: 10,366
- Imported: 794
More Info
The most commonly used species in 2017
Fish were the most commonly used species in 2017, they were used in the following ways:
- Basic biological research: 78,947
- Teaching: 9,390
- Environmental management: 5,574
- Species conservation: 4,504
- Animal husbandry: 1,941
- Testing: 490
- Medical research: 321
“OTHER” species used
755 animals were reported in the “other species” category. This group was made up of:
- Bats: 404
- Ferrets: 221
- Stoats: 58
- Hedgehogs: 51
- llamas: 5
- Alpacas: 6
- Chinchillas: 2
The type of animals sourced from breeding units
- Mice: 50,535
- Fish: 8,796
- Rats: 5,896
- Guinea pigs: 1,892
- Rabbits: 1,029
- Sheep: 466
- Cows: 388
- Cats: 272
- Other birds: 157
- Goats: 131
- Pigs: 95
- Dogs: 65
- Reptiles: 29
- Pigeons: 16
- Horses: 2
Animals imported into NZ
794 animals were imported into New Zealand for research, testing and teaching purposes in 2017. These included 744 mice, 38 amphibia and 12 rats.
