Is eating roadkill in Australia illegal?
William Rodriguez
Updated on April 09, 2026
Beside this, can I pick up roadkill in Australia?
The local police, shire ranger or Department of Environment and Conservation ranger should be able to dispatch the animal safely and remove it from the road. If it's a smaller animal that you can pick up then you can wrap it up and take it to the local vet.
Secondly, what states allow you to eat roadkill? Collecting roadkill for eating is legal in over 20 states, including Vermont, Washington, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The most recent addition to this list is California; in October, legislators legalized roadkill harvesting from three regions in the state with "high wildlife collisions," The Sacramento Bee reported.
People also ask, can you eat roadkill in Australia?
Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, it is illegal for an unauthorised person to use any part of a protected animal's body - even after it has died. The maximum penalty for taking, keeping or using a protected species without authorisation is a $100,000 fine.
Why is it illegal to pick up roadkill?
A new California law paves the way for drivers to carry home and eat the animals they may accidentally kill with their vehicles. Currently in California, it's illegal for anyone except a state authority to collect or “salvage” animals like deer and elk killed in the roadway.