Ground-based hunters are being trialled this summer on the West Coast as the of Department of Conservation continues to manage tahr populations.
Himalayan tahr Photo: Unsplash / Dušan veverkolog
Himalayan tahr are a wild animal found in the Southern Alps in Te Waipounamu and were introduced into Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in 1904.
Tahr have had a control plan since 1993, to ensure the population remains low enough that it does not negatively impact native flora and fauna.
Data from a 2019 DOC survey estimated there were about 35,000 tahr on conservation land today.
DOC tahr programme lead Tom Brookman said using professional hunters in New Zealand was not a completely new idea.
"There's actually a long and rich history of professional hunters either controlling or harvesting wild animals, whether that's for DOC or previously the Forest Service and also commercial operators ... However, I guess the bulk of tahr control has been done from helicopters," he said.
DOC traditionally uses a helicopter (or aerial control) method to cull tahr due to the rugged terrain of the alps and the ability to spot the animals in the snow.
Brookman said tahr usually occupy the alpine tussock environment above the bush line, but this is changing.
"Lately, there's been a growing body of observation which suggests that tahr, particularly on the West Coast ... have been increasingly occupying areas of sub-alpine scrub and forest. And the additional cover they get from those habitats may mean that helicopter control is less effective."
He described the method as "old school" and said the hunters would be DOC staff or professional pest controllers.
"In the trial, we'll be looking to see whether it can increase our effectiveness in those particular environments [Westland bush] either as a stand alone tool or in conjunction with helicopter-based work."
Brookman assured recreational hunters helicopter methods had finished for the year and would not be ruining any summer hunting trips.
Tahr control plans are developed annually with the Tahr Plan Implementation Liaison Group (TPILG).
"TPILG is a group of stakeholders that provide reference to DOC from across the hunting sector, conservation groups, other interested groups and critically, our Te Tiriti partners from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu," Brookman said.
Results from the trial are expected ahead of the next annual plan release in July 2022.
