Govt to continue with wapiti move

Press, 21 July 1982, Page 2

Govt to continue with wapiti move

Wellington reporter

The Government will continue with its planned relocation of the wapiti herd outside Fiordland. The whole matter had been discussed by the Government caucus and agreement reached to continue removing the wapiti from Fiordland National Park, said the Minister of Lands (Mr Elworthy).

A joint venture between the Crown and a consortium of wild animal recovery operators was removing the

wapiti. The two-year period of the agreement between the Crown and the consortium would end in December, 1982.

During this time it was hoped that sufficient wapiti would be available for the relocation of a herd suitable for recreational hunting in a suitable habitat, he sain. The caucus had also agreed that it would like the Southland National Parks and Reserves board to develop a management plan which would allow for a controlled number of wapiti

to remain in the national park for recreational hunting. Such a plan would identify a confined area of the park for the wapiti, where they would have no adverse effects on the takahe population and little effect on the other natural values of the park, Mr Elworthy said. The Fiordland wapiti were given to New Zealand early this century by the United States Government.