Man fined over illegal wildlife sales

A 67-year-old Queensland man has been convicted and fined $80,000 for selling protected wildlife.

Grant Arthur Nicholls today pleaded guilty to 21 charges in the Redcliffe Magistrates Court north of Brisbane, relating to the unlicensed selling of more than 600 native snakes, lizards, frogs and birds.

State Minister for Sustainability Andrew McNamara says the Deception Bay man had a permit to keep certain animals, but not to trade them.

Mr McNamara says the investigation also involved customs officers, and wildlife authorities from Victoria, the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales.