Import of Pionites leucogaster (white-bellied caique) as a household pet

About the consultation

We have received an application to include Pionites leucogaster (white-bellied caique) in the Live Import List under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

The applicant has prepared the report against the Terms of Reference – other species.

The application is to include the species in the Live Import List, not just an individual animal. If listed, anyone can import the animal, subject to conditions.

The department has reviewed the taxonomy of P. leucogaster and considers there to be three subspecies of P. leucogaster in line with Smith et al. 2024.

How can I get involved?

Read the consultation documents:

Application terms of reference report - Pionites leucogaster (white-bellied caique) - PDF

Application terms of reference report – Pionites leucogaster (white-bellied caique) - DOCX

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

In inviting public comment, we would value commentary on the broader aspects of the applications or specific items such as:

• Can this species survive in the Australian environment and breed with other species that may be present in Australia?

• What diseases can this species carry or transmit and what diseases are they known to be susceptible to?

• What are the likely potential impacts of this species, if this species were to establish a feral population in Australia?

• Could this species have an impact on the social, economic or cultural aspects of the environment? (For example, impacts to local identity, local industries, or culturally significant species or places.)

The finalised risk assessment report may be published on our website. Comments received during this consultation process may be used and referenced in the final report. Comments will be attributed to organisations, not to individuals. If you wish your comments to remain confidential, you should mark the relevant part(s) of your comments as ‘confidential’.

If it is not possible to meet the deadline, please contact exotic.species@dcceew.gov.au

Send your comments

Responses to be submitted by:

Thursday 11 June 2026.

Please email comments to:

exotic.species@dcceew.gov.au

Mail:

The Director
Live Import List Section
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
GPO Box 3090
Canberra ACT 2601

Personal information collection

Personal information that you provide will only be used for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to the Minister for the Environment and Water, employees of their office, and employees of Australian Government agencies assisting the Minister.

Disclaimer

The applicant’s report addressing the Terms of Reference is circulated for public comment in compliance with section 303EF (2b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government.