Statistics 2006 - Animal use in research & teaching, Australia
The following table is comprised of the latest available statistics of animal use in research and teaching in Australia. These statistics should be used for general purposes only.
Qld, ACT and NT figures have not yet been received, but going by the last available figures (91,603 in 2005 for ACT and 589,047 in 2004 for Qld), this would bring the total number of animals used to more than 7.4 million animals.
Figures will be updated as they become available
| Type of animals | Vic | NSW | SA | Tas | Qld | ACT | WA | NT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouse | 351,284 | 207,374 | 37,378 | 2,668 | - | - | 580,550 | - | 1,179,254 |
| Rat | 40,916 | 33,421 | 8,393 | 1,491 | - | - | 68,048 | - | 152,269 |
| Guinea Pig | 7,837 | 2,532 | 571 | - | - | - | 1,982 | - | 12,922 |
| Rabbit | 2,931 | 5,718 | 793 | 19 | - | - | 802 | - | 10,263 |
| Other lab animals | 819 | - | 876 | - | - | - | 12 | - | 1,707 |
| Cat | 345 | 271 | 175 | - | - | - | 1,282 | - | 2,073 |
| Dog | 1,811 | 1,300 | 192 | - | - | - | 2,649 | - | 5,952 |
| Other domestic | 46 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 46 |
| Sheep | 82,941 | 85,625 | 116,158 | 12,607 | - | - | 57,511 | - | 354,842 |
| Cattle | 13,845 | 16,156 | 809 | 1,341 | - | - | 3,484 | - | 35,635 |
| Pig | 55,375 | 8,545 | 20,098 | - | - | - | 6,503 | - | 90,521 |
| Horse/donkey | 886 | 1,628 | 63 | 37 | - | - | 4,210 | - | 6,824 |
| Other stock animals | 817 | 389 | 414 | - | - | - | 4,013 | - | 5,633 |
| Native mammals | 8,413 | 24,371 | 12,017 | 1,274 | - | - | 19,323 | - | 65,398 |
| Exotic ‘feral’ animals | 90 | 3,469 | 4,370 | 5 | - | - | 3,522 | - | 11,456 |
| Primates | 128 | 122 | - | - | - | - | 33 | - | 283 |
| Domestic fowl | 60,500 | 1,026,472 | 7,102 | - | - | - | 805,689 | - | 1,899,763 |
| Other birds | 70,786 | 42,198 | 14,811 | 11,029 | - | - | 19,084 | - | 157,908 |
| Reptiles | 6,812 | 30,777 | 8,297 | 1,351 | - | - | 17,295 | - | 64,532 |
| Fish | 401,973 | 1,471,025* | 144,098 | 62,131 | - | - | 560,183 | - | 2,639,410 |
| Amphibians | 5,029 | - | 722 | 2,400 | - | - | - | - | 8,151 |
| Other aquatic animals | 881 | - | 1,552 | 5,297 | - | - | 24,868 | - | 32,598 |
| Other | 11,022 | 241 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11,263 |
| Totals | 1,125,487 | 2,961,634 | 378,889 | 101,650 | N/A | N/A | 2,181,043 | N/A | 6,748,703 |
* includes all aquatic animals
N/A - Yet to be received
Note that WA did not provide a breakdown of purpose and severity of experiments.
| Purpose of project | Vic | NSW | SA | Tas | Qld | ACT | WA | NT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding human or animal biology | 281,819 | 285,306 | 156,424 | 38,127 | - | - | - | - | 761,676 |
| Maintenance and improvement of human or animal health and welfare | 246,544 | 342,898 | 29,417 | 15,736 | - | - | - | - | 634,595 |
| Improvement of animal management or production | 336,917 | 146,961 | 27,797 | 15,435 | - | - | - | - | 527,110 |
| Production of biological products | - | 94,725 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 94,725 |
| Diagnostic procedures | - | 1,948 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,948 |
| Achievement of educational objectives | 19,651 | 804,164 | 130,505 | 9,600 | - | - | 42,869 | - | 1,006,789 |
| Environmental study | 240,556 | 1,166,634 | 34,746 | 22,752 | - | - | - | - | 1,464,688 |
| Regulatory product testing | - | 40,332 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 40,332 |
| Unspecified | - | 78,666 | - | - | - | - | 2,138,174 | - | 2,216,840 |
| Totals | 1,125,487 | 2,961,634 | 378,889 | 101,650 | N/A | N/A | 2,181,043 | N/A | 6,748,703 |
N/A - Yet to be received
| Severity of procedure | Vic | NSW | SA | Tas | Qld | ACT | WA | NT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Observational studies involving minor interference | 445,974 | 597,305 | 185,973 | 18,018 | - | - | - | - | 1,247,270 |
| Animal unconscious without recovery | 145,160 | 931,537 | 29,056 | 15,959 | - | - | - | - | 1,121,712 |
| Minor conscious intervention | 331,789 | 540,884 | 148,481 | 46,120 | - | - | - | - | 1,067,274 |
| Minor operative procedures with recovery | 44,433 | 20,622 | 2,197 | 2,327 | - | - | - | - | 69,579 |
| Surgery with recovery | 39,724 | 9,109 | 2,506 | 1,518 | - | - | - | - | 52,857 |
| Minor physiological challenge | 51,620 | 800,066 | 4,365 | 12,746 | - | - | - | - | 868,797 |
| Major physiological challenge | 66,427 | 14,700 | 6,311 | 4,962 | - | - | - | - | 92,400 |
| Death as an end point | 360 | 41,427 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 41,787 |
| Production of genetically modified animals | - | 5,984 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5,984 |
| Unspecified | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2,181,043 | - | 2,181,043 |
| Totals | 1,125,487 | 2,961,634 | 378,889 | 101,650 | N/A | N/A | 2,181,043 | N/A | 6,748,703 |
N/A - Yet to be received
Sources:
Vic.
Summary of Statistics of Animal Experimentation, Victoria. Report Number 24. 1 January, 2006 to 31 December, 2006.
NSW
Animal Research Review Panel NSW Annual Report 2006/07.
SA
Department for Environment & Heritage - South Australian Government.
Teaching and Research using animals in South Australia 2006.
Tas.
Animal Research statistics Tasmania Annual Report, Report Number 11: 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2006.
Animal Health and Welfare Branch, Dept. of Primary Industries and Water.
Qld
Yet to be received
ACT
Yet to be received
WA
Use/Supply of animals for scientific purposes (research and teaching). Annual statistical return for the calendar year 2006, Dept. of Local Government and Regional Development, WA.
NT
Yet to be received