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Part of Wildlife import/export permits

Exporting wildlife from Alberta

Hunters and exporters must follow guidelines for the export of wildlife or wildlife parts out of the province.

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Wildlife import/export permits

Information for Exporters of Wildlife or Wildlife Parts

Hunters Taking Harvested Game Out of Alberta

  • Lawfully harvested wildlife can be taken out of Alberta without an export permit provided they meet the following criteria:
    • The animal you have harvested is a game bird, coyote, white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, black bear or pronghorn antelope, AND
    • You are exporting the animal within 30 days of it being killed or within five days of the close of the hunting season, whichever is soonest, AND
    • The hunter accompanies the shipment and carries the licence under which the wildlife was harvested
  • Coyotes lawfully killed under a non-resident/non-resident alien wolf/coyote licence can be exported under the same conditions as stated above. Coyotes lawfully killed by licensed trappers or other Alberta residents can be exported without an export permit.
  • Upland game birds can be exported without an export permit if they have been permanently preserved as a mounted specimen.
  • A person who lawfully kills a black bear, deer, moose, elk, antelope, or game bird under an aboriginal treaty or other right that is protected by the Canadian Constitution is exempt from the requirement of an export permit if:
    • The animal is exported within 30 days after the date it was killed and
    • The animal is accompanied during its exportation by the person who killed it

Exporting Harvested Black Bears for U.S. Citizens Returning Home

  • U.S. hunters who are returning to the U.S. with their harvested black bears can do so without a provincial export permit or a federal CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species) permit provided they meet the following criteria:
    • The hunter is returning to the U.S. with the bear within 30 days of the bear being killed or within five days of the close of the hunting season, whichever is soonest, AND
    • The hunter accompanies the shipment and carries the licence under which the bear was harvested, AND
    • The hunter is shipping the bear in a fresh, frozen or salted condition. If the hunter wishes to ship the bear home in a taxidermized state at a later date, then a provincial export permit must be acquired
  • Only the red meat, hide with claws still attached and head or skull with teeth attached can be exported.
  • The gall bladder, paws or other parts of the black bear, aside from those listed above, cannot be exported from Alberta in any state by hunters of any origin.
  • The claws cannot be exported from Alberta if they have been separated from the whole hide.
  • A provincial export permit and a federal CITES export permit are necessary for U.S. hunters who want to export a partial skin that has been tanned or preserved, a skull with the teeth attached (when not being shipped with a hunter returning home) or a taxidermized black bear.
  • A black bear skin that is not being included as part of a returning hunters baggage can be exported but requires a provincial export permit and a CITES export permit.

Exporting Harvested Black Bears for All Other Non-U.S. Citizens

  • Citizens of all other countries, aside from the U.S., will need to follow all export conditions mentioned above, as well as obtain an Alberta export permit and a federal CITES permit.

Exporting Other Wildlife

  • In most cases, exporting wildlife or wildlife parts from Alberta requires an export permit from Fish and Wildlife. Be sure to contact the local Fish and Wildlife Division office for advice on acquiring the necessary permits before exporting any kind of wildlife.
  • When applying for the export permit, you will need to prove you are legally in possession of the wildlife to be exported. You may have to bring the wildlife to be exported in to the Fish and Wildlife office for inspection.
  • Grizzly bear, trophy sheep, goat, cougar, wolves (from certain Wildlife Management Units), lynx, otter, fisher and wolverine require a registration certificate before an export permit will be issued. Registration certificates are issued at a Fish and Wildlife office.

Related Information

Environment and Protected Areas

To contact a Fish and Wildlife officer for advice, see:

For information and advice about importing fish, see the Fisheries Management Area Contacts Map at:

  • Fisheries & Wildlife Management Area Contacts

For more information on Non-licence Animals in Alberta, see:

To learn more about applying for a research permit, see:

To learn more about provincial zoo standards and how to apply for a zoo permit, see:

Other Government of Alberta

For information about importing fish eggs for the purposes of raising fish, visit the Agriculture and Forestry website at:

Government of Canada

To learn more about federal regulations on animal and animal product imports and exports, visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website at:

For more about inspections of animals crossing the Canadian border, visit the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) website at:

To contact the CBSA, refer to:

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) sets controls on the international trade and movement of animals or plants deemed adversely affected by excessive commercial use.

For information about federal CITES permits, call 1 800 668-6767, or visit the Environment Canada website at:

United States and International

To learn more about importing and exporting wildlife and wildlife parts between Canada and the U.S. visit the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website at:

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