Wildlife research to be investigated

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 9

Wildlife research to be investigated

Wellington reporter A working party of the National Research Advisory Council has been set up to investigate wildlife research in New Zealand. The working party’s terms of reference include all mammals, birds, freshwater fish, reptiles and amphibia, but research into noxious animals will be considered only where this interlocks with other wildlife research. The six-man working party will be led by Mr A. P. Thomson, a council member and former director-general of forests, and will begin work on its five terms of reference in February. It is expected to report by the middle of next year. The terms of reference are:

The identification and evaluation of the various components of the national wildlife reserarch effort in Government departments, universities, and other agencies. A definition of urgent national wildlife research priorities and gaps.

The determination of the relevance of sectoral research programmes to national priorities — for instance, is the Department of Scientific and

Industrial Research’s programme relevant to national priorities? A review of the organisation of wildlife research (who and where) with a view to recommending a possible rationalisation of research activities. An assessment of the appropriate level of resources and facilities for wildlife research.

An important rider was added to the terms of reference which largely exempts noxious animal research — “that in interpreting these terms of refs erence, the working party will give priority to wildlife other than noxious animals, but will consider the need to investigate the interrelationship between wildlife research, as commonly understood, and noxious animals.”

Why this rider has been added is not wholly clear. Mr Thomson said that, with the exception of some work done by the ecology division of the D.S.I.R. on opossums, the main research activities in deer, wapiti, thar, chamois, goats, opossums, and other noxious animals, was carried out by the Forest Service at the Forest and Range Experimental Station at Ham.

“At the moment, the council does not know of any problems of overlap and duplication which require the scrutiny of this working party,” he said.

“We will concentrate on areas where there are known problems but wilZ leave it open whether we investigate any further problems that become apparent.” Mr Thomson’s explanation of the special case made against including noxious animals in the full terms of reference may not satisfy all those who are interested in it.

For example, not everyone is satisfied with the research into thar which enables it to be classified as a noxious animal, and some even want it protected. Then there is the case of the approved 1080 poison laid for opossums in two North Island forests which inexplicably poisoned large numbers of birds, including some native species.

Whether such matters as these are now outside the brief of the working party is not clear. If there is any doubt, and there seems to be, then noxious animals should be included with other wildlife research.