TOTAL ANIMALS USED: 245,522

A total of 245,522 animals used for research, testing and teaching purposes were reported in 2020, that's 70,052 less than the previous year.

The rolling 3-year average was 287,477, down 23,016 from the previous year.

NUMBER OF ANIMALS WHO DIED: 111,161 (45%)

A total of 111,161 animals died or were euthanised during, or after, manipulations (including animals who were killed for the purpose of using their tissues). This is 45% of the total number of animals used that year. See a breakdown below.

• Animals who died or were euthanised during, or after, manipulations: 78,711
• Animals who were killed for their tissues: 32,450.

Additional animals killed:

In 2020, 149,496 animals that were bred for research, testing or teaching purposes but not used were killed. This included 105,533 mice, 21,602 rats, 20,255 fish, 1,945 guinea pigs, 142 rabbits, 15 sheep and four amphibia. This is 12,817 more animals than the previous year.

PURPOSES

Animals were used in the following ways in 2020:

• Basic biological research: 74,378
• Veterinary research: 34,632
• Teaching: 25,331
• Animal husbandry research: 61,207
• Medical research: 14,407
• Testing: 17,337
• Environmental management research: 3,037
• Species conservation: 13,521
• Other: 600
• Production of biological agents: 392
• Development of alternatives: 125
• Producing offspring with compromised welfare: 295

TYPES OF ANIMALS

The following categories of animals were used in 2020:

• Alpacas/llamas: 2
• Amphibia: 289
• Birds: 29,298
• Cats: 351
• Cows: 46,937
• Cephalopods/crustaceans: 2,477
• Deer: 1,213
• Dogs: 761
• Fish: 56,045
• Goats: 3,967
• Guinea pigs: 1,744
• Horses/donkeys: 458
• Marine mammals: 83
• Mice: 48,993
• Pigs: 299
• Possums: 445
• Rabbits: 1,055
• Rats: 7,107
• Reptiles: 1,860
• Sheep: 41,879
• Misc. species: 259

ORGANISATION TYPE

The following types of organisations used animals in 2020:

• Universities: 100,834
• Commercial organisations: 61,135
• Crown Research Institutes: 42,048
• Other (non-university medical research institutes, zoos/wildlife parks and individuals): 22,232
• Government departments: 3,419
• Polytechnics and institutes of technology: 13,982
• Schools: 1,872

SOURCE

Animals were sourced from the following places in 2020:

• Farms: 94,297
• Breeding units: 63,813
• Captured: 26,601
• Commercial sources: 43,935
• Public sources: 10,201
• Born during project: 10,916
• Imported: 463

MORE INFO

The most commonly used species in 2020:

Fish were the most used species in 2020 followed by mice cattle and sheep.

“OTHER” species used

In 2020, 259 animals were reported in the “other species” category. This group was made up of:

• Bats: 60
• Ferrets: 1
• Hedgehogs: 34
• Stoats: 101
• Wallabies: 32
• Weasels: 1

The following zoo animals were used for veterinary research:

• Lions: 8
• Baboons: 4
• Rhinoceros: 4
• Tigers: 4
• Sun bears: 3
• Cheetahs: 3
• Nyalas: 3
• Zebra: 1

Animals imported into NZ

A total of 463 animals were imported into New Zealand for research, testing and teaching purposes in 2020. These included 365 mice, 64 rats and 34 cephalopod/crustacea.