Rigorous control of thar urged

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33941, 6 September 1975, Page 2

Rigorous control of thar urged

Rigorous control of thar, with the control of all other noxious animals in the high-country, should be insisted on, said Mr H. T. Grigg at a meeting of the North Canterbury Catchment Board yesterday.

There had been controversy recently about control measures for thar on high mountain catchments, he said. Most of the participants appeared to be trying to muster public opinion in opposition to the very necessary operations, from time to time, of the Forest Service. Mr Grigg said that it should be clear that there were three species of thar, two of them on the endangered species list, and protected -throughout the world, and the Himalayan thar, the New Zealand variety, which was not endangered here or in its native habitat. ‘MAJOR THREAT’ “The Himalayan thar poses a major threat to conservation in the high country,” he said. “These animals camp, and eat out a region, even to eating turpentine scrub and

plants that other animals will not touch. “Young bulls seek out new grazing places, and colonise them, so extending the thar along the ranges." Since their liberation at The Hermitage in 1909, thar had extended north to the Rakaia headwaters, and perhaps to the Waimakariri headwaters. In occasional cases, thar had been reported as, far north as the Hope River. “The control of thar in our district is satisfactory, but this board wants rigorous control of thar along with the control of other noxious animals," he said. “The aim on the high country should be the total eradication of the thar. "It is little- use retiring stock from these high, credible lands, and then allowing introduced animals in to do as much or more damage than sheep did.” When Mr M. J. O. Dixon said that there appeared to be conflicting views on the question, Mr R. B. Johnson said that what Mr Grigg said represented the views of the board’s soil conservation committee. Members were emphatic that they wanted full control.