DoC wraps up tahr operations for the year with over 7000 kills

Himalayan tahr. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

The Department of Conservation has completed its planned Himalayan tahr control operations for the year.

Tahr programme lead James Holborow said DoC hunters and contractors worked over four months in a range of alpine environments and challenging weather conditions.

"Between mid-July and early November, we aerially controlled 7481 tahr on public conservation land to protect alpine eco-systems from the impacts of high tahr densities."

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Maps showing where tahr were controlled as part of the Tahr Control Operational Plan for 2020/21 have been uploaded to the DoC website.

Sightings of identifiable males located outside of the national parks management unit have also been mapped to help hunters.

"Hunters can head out on trips this summer on public conservation land throughout the feral range knowing DoC's control work for the year is complete."

Next month, DoC will meet with the Tahr Plan Implementation Liaison Group to begin engagement on a Tahr Control Operational Plan for 2021/22.

"We're approaching the development of next year's work programme with an open mind and we're looking forward to reviewing what we have learned over the past couple of years with members of the group," Holborow said.

Between 2016 and Autumn 2019, the tahr population was estimated to be approximately 34,500 on public conservation land alone.