Vivisection is used in New Zealand for 4 main purposes. Medical experiments, including research into basic physiological processes makes up a small part of the total vivisection budget, though it is the one usually believed to be necessary. The bulk of animal experimentation in New Zealand is concerned with agricultural experimentation, and with experiments on ways of reducing vertebrate pests. Some educational intitutes also vivisect animals for some courses such as veterinary science.
Each of these areas will be dealt with below. Tests on cosmetics, such
as the Draize test, which feature heavily in overseas anti-vivisection
literature do not take place in New Zealand as far as I know. If
you do hear of any such experiments being performed, please let me know
so I can include them. Experiments on non-human primates are also
not carried out in New Zealand. The law also forbids experimentation
on non-human hominids (chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans) for medical
purposes.