Arapawa Island hunting gets approval

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 7

Arapawa Island hunting gets approval

Blenheim reporter A proposal to open up the Arapawa Island reserve to hunters was approved, subject to certain permit provisions, at a meeting of the Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park Board. Advice that this move was supported by the New Zealand Forest Service was received by the board. The Forest Service began a campaign to control goats in the Arapawa Island Scenic Reserve on June 14, 1978, on behalf of the park board, and to control goats on two private properties at the request of the landowners. The last shot was fired on May 16 and in the 11month period goat numbers have been reduced to the extent that the present level of goats is l considered not to seriously threaten the reserve’s vegetation. A report prepared by the ’Forest Service in Blenheim on the control programme said that the Arapawa goat controversy had been and continued to be influenced by unnecessary sensationalism. Disregarding the thousands of goats shot on the island in past years, the first positive step taken towards control was the goat muster in April, 1977, undertaken by the Arapawa Wild Life Trust. This was followed by organised Shooting by one landowner, another muster by the trust in January, and further shooting and capturing. “Although these individual efforts accounted for more than 500 goats being shot or captured, less than 100 came .out of the reserve. This was to be expected as the reserve is inhospitable and difficult country to work on in comparison with the

private land on the' island,” the report said. The goat control programme closely followed the guidelines contained in the wild animal control plan for Arapawa Island. A total of 1328 goats have been shot to date during a total of 135-man days spent in four operations. The tally in the northern region was 631; central region, 403 (and 24 pigs); southern region, 294. A total of 2140 goats have been removed since April, 1977.

Forest Research Institute technicians carried out autopsies on 330 goat carcases during the first two operations to compare the herd with other goat herds in New Zealand. Their research indicated there was no relationship with the old English-goat theory.

“The second control operation in February was subjected to intense physical and verbal opposition, principally by members of the Arapawa Wild Life Trust. Although this resulted in considerable publicity of doubtful benefit to the trust, and considerable expense for the taxpayer, the end result of the control operation was not affected,” the report said. “In fact this operation was particularly successful and 250 goats were removed from the extremely critical central zone forests.” The aim of the goat control programme was to substantially reduce goat numbers in the scenic reserve to allow maximum recovery and regeneration of the native vegetation, and to reduce goat numbers on private land to prevent competition for pasture with domestic stock and prevent reinfestation of the reserve.

“We are confident that goats have now been reduced sufficiently that their influence on the vegetation is not serious. However, as the forested area of the reserve is of the highest priority for botanical and biological reasons, and it is also the most difficult area to hunt, it requires particularly close attention,” the report said. “The wild life trust has made a large contribution to goat control through their efforts at mustering on properties outside the control area. The number of goats remaining outside the control area is no longer cause for concern, but the situation requires constant surveillance.”

The report said that wild pigs remained a critical problem in the central zone, and the Forest Service supported opening it up to hunters. Maximum regeneration would not be possible while the wild sheep were present in their existing numbers, and management would be necessary. “Twice-yearly hunting operations should now be carried out, with interim inspections.” In a copy of a letter to the wild life trust received by the board the animal production officer for the Food and Agricultural Organisation said the F.A.O. appreciated the efforts of the trust in collecting and recording information on Arapawa Island, and sought more details on skeletal structure and other characteristics of the animals. “In the meantime we are taking note of your information and will place the names of the Arapawa sheep and goats on our files on rare and vanishing species,” the letter said.