Import Health Standard 
for 
Zoo Primates from Australia, Canada, the 
European Union, USA and Singapore 
 
Short Name: ZOOPRIIC.SPE 
 
 
  
Import Health Standard for Zoo Primates from Austra lia, Canada, the European Un ion, USA and Singapore  
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Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
P.O Box 2526 Wellington 6011 New Zealand 
Import Health Standard for Zoo Primates from Austra lia, Canada, the European Un ion, USA and Singapore  
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Issuing Authority 
 
This standard is issued under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act).   
 
 
 
Dated at Wellington 1 July 2011 
 
 
 
Director-General Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  
(Issued under delegated authority)    Version number 1.0   
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PART A. INTRODUCTION 
 
Background  
1. This document, issued under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, is the Import Health 
Standard for Zoo Primates from Australia, Canada, the European Union, USA and 
Singapore. 
 
2. 
If this standard needs to be amended or revoked urgently, or the Director General or 
delegate considers that an amendment is minor, the amendment or revocation may be carried out without prior consultation. 
 3. Subject to section 27 and 28 of the Biosecurity Act, a biosecurity clearance may be 
issued under section 26, where the requirements of this import health standard have been complied with. The Biosecurity Act can be accessed at 
http://www.legislation.govt.nz./
 
 
Scope  
4. This standard specifies the requirements that must be met to import into New Zealand, 
zoo primates from Australia, Canada, the European Union, USA and Singapore. 
 
5. For the purposes of this standard, the primates must come from premises that are under 
veterinary supervision, and can not have been caught in the wild or come from what the OIE’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code  calls ‘an uncontrolled environment’.  
 
6. For the purposes of this standard, primates means the following 21 species:  
 
Ring-tailed lemur – Lemur catta 
Black and white ruffed lemur – Varecia variegata variegata   
Pygmy marmoset – Callithrix pygmaea   
Golden lion tamarin – Leontopithecus rosalia Emperor tamarin – Saguinus imperator  
Cotton-top tamarin – Saguinus oedipus   
Spider monkey – Ateles geoffroyi 
Bolivian squirrel monkey – Saimiri boliviensis Common squirrel monkey – Saimiri sciureus Black cap capuchin – Cebus apella  
Mandrill – Mandrillus sphinx  
Hamadryas baboon – Papio hamadryas  
Black and white colobus – Colobus quereza   
Francois’s leaf monkey (langur) – Trachypithecus francoisi 
White-cheeked gibbon – Hylobates leucogenys   
Siamang – Hylobates syndactylus   
Gorilla – Gorilla gorilla  
Chimpanzee – Pan troglodytes  
Bornean orangutan – Pongo pygmaeus  
Lesser bush babies – Galago moholi  and Galago senegalensis   
Greater bush babies – Otolemur crassicaudatus  and Otolemur garnettii 
 
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Importer’s responsibilities 
 
7. It is the importer’s responsibility to ensure that they are compliant with the current 
relevant import health standard. Current versions of import health standards are 
available on the MAF New Zealand website:  http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ihs/search .  
A register of import health standards is also available for inspection at the office of the Director-General during normal business hours. 
 
8. 
The costs of MAF in performing functions relating to the importation of primates shall be 
recovered in accordance with the Biosecurity Act and any regulations made under that Act. All costs involved with documentation, transport, storage and obtaining a biosecurity authority shall be borne by the importer or agent. 
 
9. 
It is the responsibility of the importer that the consignment is accompanied by a permit to 
export by the legislation of the country of origin and the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): 
http://www.cites.org .  The importer is advised to 
clarify the status of the species of animal in relation to international agreements on their trade, prior to export.  Material arriving in New Zealand without a permit to export may be subject to seizure by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.  [Note: Any requirement for the CITES or other conservation-related documentation must be met by the exporter/importer and is independent of this certification.]  
 
10. The importer must obtain a permit to import prior to proceeding with importation.  
 
11. The importer must notify the date, expected time, port of arrival and the flight number or 
ship’s name to the New Zealand Official Veterinarian at the airport/port of entry at least 7 days in advance of importation. Email: liveanimalsector@maf.govt.nz
 
 
Definitions 
Import Health 
Standard Term Definition 
Animal Imports/Exports Group Manager The Animal Imports/Exports Group Manager, Ministry of Agriculture 
and Forestry Biosecurity New Zealand, or any person who for the time being may lawfully exercise and perform the delegated power and functions of the Animal Imports/Exports Group Manager.  
Biosecurity 
clearance  A clearance under Section 26 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 for the 
entry of goods into New Zealand. (Explanatory Note: Goods given a biosecurity clearance by an inspector are released to the importer without restriction). 
Biosecurity 
authority Written authority from an inspector, given under Section 25 of the 
Biosecurity Act 1993, to move uncleared goods from a transitional facility or biosecurity control area to another transitional facility, containment facility or biosecurity control area, or to export those goods from New Zealand. 
Certifying 
official A person authorised by the Veterinary Authority of the exporting 
country to sign international veterinary certificates. 
Competent 
Authority The Veterinary Authority or other Governmental Authority of an OIE 
Member having the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards 
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and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code in the whole territory. 
Equivalence Acceptance by the Imports Standards Group Manager that the 
circumstances relating to the importation of a consignment are such that the health status of the consignment is equivalent to the health status of a consignment that complies with the requirements of the import health standard. 
IATA  The International Air Transport Association. 
Inspector  A person who is appointed an inspector under Section 103 of the Biosecurity Act 1993. (Explanatory Note: An inspector is appointed to administer and enforce the provisions of the Biosecurity Act, and in respect of new organisms, the provisions of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996). 
MAF The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. 
Official 
Veterinarian A veterinarian authorised by the Veterinary Administration of the 
country to perform certain designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and inspections of commodities and, when appropriate, to certify in conformity with the provisions of the Section 5.2 of the Terrestrial Code pertaining to principles of certification. 
OIE Code The World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Any reference in this standard to the OIE Code is to the most current as found on the OIE website: 
http://www.oie.int/international-standard-setting/terrestrial-
code/access-online/  
Permit to import A permit issued by the Director General of MAF pursuant to section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 upon an importer’s demonstration that certain requirements of the import health standard have been met in advance of an importation being made, such that a transitional facility is available to accept the consignment/s and a method and route of transport from the port of arrival to the transitional facility has been approved. The procedure for application and the information required for a permit to import are detailed within the import health standard. 
Zoo A containment facility approved to the containment standard where live zoo animals are kept for the purposes of public exhibition, conservation, research or education.  Note: A zoo includes for example, a circus, butterfly house, aquarium or an oceanarium.  A zoo may also hold indigenous animals that are not new organisms but these animals are not covered by this Standard.  
Zoo animal A new organism approved under the Hazardous Substances and New Organism Act 1996 (HSNO) to be held in a zoo.  The organism is both a new organism under the HSNO Act and a restricted organism under the Biosecurity Act 1993.  
 
  
PART B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 
 
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Eligibility 
 
12. The primates must have been resident in a government registered, or licensed, zoo or 
wildlife park in the approved country of export since birth. 
 
13. The animals must not be in the last trimester of pregnancy on the date of export. 
 
14. 
The animals must be more than 6 months old at departure and weaned, healthy and fit 
to travel. 
 
15. The animals and the premises in which the animals reside must have been free of 
quarantine restrictions for at least the 90 days prior to the date of export. 
 
Permit to import  
16. A permit to import is required for the importation of all primates into New Zealand.  
 
17. 
An application form for a permit to import can be obtained from the MAF website: 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/forms/imports-live-animals-into-trans-facility  
 
or by contacting: 
 
Animal Imports  
Import Export Directorate, Standards  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  PO Box 2526  Wellington  New Zealand.  Email animalimports@maf.govt.nz
 
 
18. The importer must supply the following information:  
 name and address of exporter;  
 number, sex, age, species and microchip transponder identification of the animal;  
 date of the proposed importation;  
 name and address of the transitional/containment facility in New Zealand, to which 
the consignment is to proceed following importation;  
 a letter from the New Zealand Official Veterinarian supervising the transitional 
facility indicating that the facility is available for this consignment; 
 port of arrival, and route and means of transport to the transitional facility.  
 
19. The permit to import will be issued for a single consignment . 
 
Documentation accompanying the consignment 
 
20. The consignment must be accompanied by:  
 a copy of the permit to import; AND  
 appropriately completed health certification that meets the requirement of PART C. 
ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION.  
 
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21. Documentation presented in accordance with the requirements of this import health 
standard must be original (unless otherwise specified) and clearly legible. Inadequate 
documentation may result in delays in obtaining biosecurity authority or rejection of the consignment.  
 
22. The Official Veterinarian of the exporting country must sign, date and stamp each page 
of the veterinary certificate and any documents that form part of the extended certificate. 
 
23. 
All documentation must be sent to the New Zealand Official Veterinarian at the 
airport/port of entry at least 72 hours in advance of importation.  Email: 
liveanimalsector@maf.govt.nz  
 
Transport  
24.        In the case of transport by:  
 Air: the transport facilities and arrangements must meet the requirements published 
in the IATA Live Animal Regulations. 
 
Sea: the transport facilities and arrangements must have been inspected and meet 
the requirements of the Australian Marine Orders Part 43, Issue 2 (which is 
equivalent to the New Zealand Marine Rules Part 24C). 
 
25. No animals, other than those qualified for entry into New Zealand, are permitted to be 
transported with the primates on the aircraft or ship. 
 
26. The use of straw or hay as bedding is not permitted. Only sterilised peat, soft board or 
other inert approved product may be used. 
 
27. The door of the transport container must be sealed with a government-approved seal 
before the container is loaded in the country of origin. The number or mark on the seal must be recorded in the zoosanitary certificate by the Official Veterinarian. The construction of the container and the placement of the seal must be such that the container cannot be readily opened without breaking the seal. If the container is opened during shipment it must be re-sealed and a certificate detailing the circumstances provided by an Official Veterinarian, Port Authority, or Captain of the aircraft. Instructions to this effect should be attached to the outside of the transport container. 
 
28. Trans-shipment in any third country may only occur if pre-approved by MAF.  29. Containers made of timber must meet the requirements of the wood packaging import 
health standard (refer to: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/forests/standards/non-
viable-forest-produce/wood-packaging-ihs.htm ) 
 
 
Biosecurity authority 
 
30. On the primates’ arrival in New Zealand, an Official Veterinarian may give a biosecurity 
authorisation under section 25 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 for the animals to move to the 
transitional facility named in the permit to import. 
 
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31. Any unused feed, bedding and faecal material not in the crate must be destroyed by a 
MAF-approved method.  
 
Transitional facility 
 
32. Following biosecurity authorisation being given, the animals must proceed directly to the 
transitional facility. 
 
33. 
The animals shall remain in the transitional facility for no less than 7 days, or for a longer 
period as specified in the biosecurity authorisation under section 25 of the Biosecurity 
Act. 
 
34. On arrival in the transitional facility, the animals must be subject to such testing, 
treatments or procedures as is required to diagnose a disease, ascertain the presence or absence of any pest or unwanted organism or make an assessment of measures taken 
to eradicate any pest or unwanted organism, including:     
 verification of the microchip identification of the animals; AND 
 
inspection under the supervision of the supervising Official Veterinarian for ticks. 
Any ticks found shall be identified and their presence reported to the Animal Imports Team Manager or delegate. 
 
35. If any animal fails a test or shows signs of disease, the Animal Imports/Exports Team 
Manager or delegate may give reasonable directions to (a) treat the animal or (b) destroy the animal (without recompense). In exercising these powers, the Animal Imports/Exports Team Manager wiil primarily take into account the need to effectively manage biosecurity risks arising from the im ported animal. The Animal Imports/Exports 
Team Manager may offer the importer the option of re-exporting the animals to the country of origin (at the importer's expense) if this is consistent with the primary objective stated above. The Animal Imports/Exports Team Manager can also authorise the animal 
to be held as long as necessary for the importer to obtain a biosecurity clearance. 
 
36. On satisfactory completion of the post arrival quarantine period, and providing that the 
documentation meets all requirements noted under PART C.  ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATION and the consignment meet the conditions of ELIGIBILITY, the supervising Official Veterinarian will authorise the animals be moved from the transitional facility to a containment facility, approved to MAF Standard 154.03.04 Containment 
Facilities for Zoo Animals : http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/border/transitional-
facilities/animals/154-03-04.htm  
 
37. All costs of testing, treatment, transport, quarantine servicing and veterinary supervision 
must be borne by the importer. 
 
38. The crates must be cleaned and disinfected and stored until the end of quarantine. After 
completion of quarantine all feed, bedding material and faeces from the transitional facility and crate must be destroyed by a MAF-approved method. 
 
39. The animals and their offspring must remain permanently in a containment facility and 
may only be transferred to another containment facility with the prior permission of the Animal Imports Team Manager or delegate. 
 
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 Equivalence  
 
40. The import health standard has been agreed as suitable for trade between New Zealand 
and Australia, Canada, the European Union, USA and Singapore. It is expected that the 
consignment will meet the conditions in every respect.  
 
41. 
Occasionally it may be found that, due to circumstances beyond the control of the 
importer or exporter, a consignment does not comply with the requirements in this import health standard. In such cases, a permit to import application may be made, equivalence granted and import permit issued at the discretion of MAF. The following information must be forwarded by the certifying government's Competent authority for an equivalence to be considered:  
 which clause/s of the zoosanitary certificate cannot be met and how this has 
occurred;  
 the reason the consignment is considered to be of an ‘equivalent health’ status;  
 the reasons why the Competent Authority of the country of origin believes this 
proposal should be acceptable to MAF and their recommendation for its acceptance.  
 
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PART C: ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATE  
 
The following Model Zoosanitary Certificate is approved to accompany imports of 
primates into New Zealand from Australia, Canada, the European Union, USA and 
Singapore. 
 
1. 
Species of primate: 
To: NEW ZEALAND Permit to import number: Exporting Country: Competent Authority 
2. IDENTIFICATION OF ANIMALS 
Microchip number Site of microchip Other identification (eg ARKS number): Species: Sex: Date of birth: Total number of animals: 
3. 
ORIGIN OF THE ANIMAL 
Name and address of exporter: Place of origin of animal: Port of embarkation:  
SANITARY INFORMATION 
 
I,……………………………………….…….., an Official Veterinarian authorised by the Competent 
Authority of the country of origin of the primates, certify after due enquiry that the primates described above satisfy the following requirements:  
4. The animals have been resident in a government registered, or licensed, zoo or wildlife 
park in the country of origin since birth. 
 5. The animals and the premises in which the animals reside have been free of quarantine 
restrictions for the 90 days prior to the scheduled date of export. 
 6. The premises in the country of origin in which the animals for export has been resident 
are under permanent veterinary supervision, and a health monitoring programme is followed including necropsies, and microbiological and parasitological testing.  
 
7. The animals have been in premises in which no case of tuberculosis or other zoonosis 
including rabies has occurred in the last 2 years. 
 
Pre-export isolation 
 
8. The animals were held in pre-export isolation (PEI): 
 for a minimum period of 30 days prior to export; AND 
 in premises that were approved and supervised by an Official Veterinarian; AND 
 isolated from other animals not of equivalent health status; AND 
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 the animals and all in-contact animals were free from clinical signs of infectious 
disease. 
 
9. 
The quarantine premises had an impervious floor and smooth painted walls. Prior to 
housing the primates the premises were thoroughly cleaned with a high pressure hose 
followed by steam cleaning and spraying with an acaricide. Bedding used was clean and free of evidence of contamination with ticks and weeds/weed seeds. Straw, grass and hay were not used. Bedding was removed every 7 days and the premises thoroughly cleaned and sprayed with acaricide. 
 
Tests and treatments 
 
10. 
During PEI the primates were treated twice, at least 14 days apart, for endoparasites. 
Endoparasiticide used: 
…............................................................................................................. Active ingredient(s): ………………….........................................................................................  Dose rate:  …............................................................................................................. Dates of treatment: ................................................................................................................. 
11. During PEI the primates were treated twice, at least 14 days apart, with an 
insecticide/acaricide solution effective against ticks and other ectoparasites in primates.  
Name of ectoparasiticide: .................................................................................................................. Active ingredient(s): ..................................................................................................................  Dose rate:  ................................................................................................................. Dates of treatment: ……….......................................................................................................  
12. In the case of gibbons and great apes only, the animals were serologically tested for 
hepatitis on two occasions while in PEI, with an interval of 21–28 days between tests. Tests used were for detection of antibodies against hepatitis B core antigen and hepatitis B surface antigen and had negative results.  
Dates of tests:           .................................................................................................................  Test type:  .................................................................................................................  
 
Inspection and transport 
13. The animals were examined by an Official Veterinarian in the 72 hours prior to export, 
and were free from clinical evidence of infectious or contagious disease, external 
parasites, plant and seed contamination, and were healthy and fit to travel.   
14. The vehicles for the transport of the animals to the port of export, the compartment of the 
aircraft or vessel occupied by the animals, and all removable equipment were cleaned and disinfected prior to loading. The containers used for transporting the animal were 
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Import Health Standard for Zoo Primates from Austra lia, Canada, the European Un ion, USA and Singapore  
ZOOPRIIC.SPE 1 July 2011 Page 13 of 13  new or were cleaned and disinfected prior to loading. Containers constructed of timber 
were treated against insect infestation or fumigated prior to loading as required by MAF. 
15. During transport to the port of departure and during transit to New Zealand the animals 
were not transported with animals that are not eligible for export to New Zealand. 
16. All food loaded for use during transport to the port of departure and during transit to New 
Zealand was free from evidence of contamination with ticks and weeds/weed seeds.  
17. Only sterilised peat, soft board or other inert approved product was provided for bedding 
during transport. 
18. In the case of transport by:  
 Air: the transport facilities and arrangements meet the requirements published in 
the IATA Live Animal Regulations; 
 Sea: the transport facilities and arrangements have been inspected and meet the 
requirements of the Australian Marine Orders Part 43, Issue 2 (which is equivalent to the New Zealand Marine Rules Part 24C). 
 
19. The container was fastened with an official seal bearing the number or mark: 
……………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
Note: Official stamp, signature and date must be applied to all pages and any 
documents that form part of  the extended certificate