A prominent animal welfare charity has been accused of illegally capturing native creatures.
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The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has charged Australian Ark Wildlife Ltd with harming or attempting to harm a member of a threatened species by capturing it.
According to documents lodged with Toronto Local Court, Aussie Ark - as the organisation is commonly known - allegedly committed the offence by capturing a Giant Barred Frog in or near the Jilliby State Conservation Area in December 2021, a Bells Turtle at Deepwater later that same month, and a Broad-toothed Rat in or around the Barrington Tops National Park in May 2022.
The matter was mentioned in court for the first time, before Magistrate Peter Barnett, SC, at Toronto on Tuesday.
A brief of evidence is being prepared and the matter will be mentioned again, next time at Wyong Local Court, on March 21.
The organisation has not been required to enter a plea.
Aussie Ark runs conservation projects in the Barrington Tops area and has its headquarters on the Central Coast.
According to an Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission's profile, it is a "large" registered charity aimed at protecting threatened Australian wildlife species "through building and maintaining insurance populations" and public education projects.
Among its initiatives are Devil Comeback (a Tasmanian devil program), Koala Ark, Manning River Turtle Conservation, and Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary at its Tomalla location.
It also runs a Turtle Ark program at Somersby on the Central Coast and a wildlife sanctuary at Upper Mongogarie, southwest of Casino.
