Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus)

Himalayan tahr are large goat-like animals, native to the central Himalayan ranges of India and Nepal. In New Zealand tahr can be found in the central Southern Alps between about the Rakaia and Whitcombe valleys in the north to about Lake Hawea in the south.

Tahr and chamois were introduced to this country in the early days of European settlement for sport – to create a hunting resource for residents and tourists. Both animals have found the Southern Alps of the South Island ideal habitat and are only only found on the South Island of New Zealand.

Himalayan tahr were first released in New Zealand at Aoraki/Mount Cook and Franz Josef areas between 1904 and 1913 to provide tourists with opportunities for trophy hunting. They spread from Aoraki/Mount Cook to establish a breeding population of 50,000 animals and caused severe damage over about 7000km2 of the Southern Alps. Numbers were reduced to around 3 – 4000 in the 1970s with the advent of commercial meat recovery.

The male tahr’s summer coat is a reddish-brown, females a medium brown, both turning dark brown in winter. The bull tahr has an impressive mane of long hair around the neck and shoulders.

The bull tahr has an impressive mane of long hair around the neck and shoulders. Tahr are popular with recreational and tourist hunters; their horns – and sometimes the male’s striking mane – are sought-after trophies. Tahr are generally found in the alpine grassland zone, where they graze on snow tussocks, alpine herbs and sub-alpine shrubland plants.

Tahr and chamois are remarkably fast and agile in steep and rugged terrain. Their hooves are specially designed for surefootedness, with a combination of hard and soft surfaces to give excellent grip.

Both tahr and chamois are classified as pests in New Zealand. They also hold significant commercial and recreational appeal, for recreational and tourist hunting. Hunting wild animals like tahr and chamois has been a significant part of New Zealand’s culture for more than 100 years.

Tahr are generally found in the alpine grassland zone, where they graze on snow tussocks, alpine herbs and sub-alpine shrubland plants. Tahr are social animals and form easily recognisable groups; Adult females, yearlings and kids gather together; mature males over 4 years form bachelor groups; while younger males hang out together in separate, smaller groups. Males mix in with the females in their range over the winter breeding season but during the summer months they often travel long distances away from the female groups.

The tahr (also known as thar) feral range covers approximately 1.7 million hectares of the central South Island and three conservancies, Canterbury, West Coast Tai Poutini and Otago, each sharing the responsibility of tahr management.

Tahr are a major threat to the sensitive ecosystems of alpine regions, as their social nature increases pressure in localised areas. As such tahr and chamois are classified as pests in New Zealand.

What is being done?

Eradication of tahr and chamois is not feasible; The Department of Conservation’s management policy for tahr is to control numbers in critical sites of high conservation value. Recreational and commercial hunters as well as the Department contribute to tahr control.

The Himalayan Tahr Control Plan (1993) is prepared under the Wild Animal Control Act

1977, has guided DOC’s control work for the last decade, setting targets to keep the tahr population below 10,000 overall, and below specific densities in areas with high ecological value. Numbers have been monitored regularly to follow trends in the population, monitor the effects of hunting and to help analyse vegetation impacts research.

Article of interest.

Heli-hunting in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park

Consultation closes: Monday 1 February 2010

The Department is considering an amendment to the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Management Plan (2004), to allow for ‘heli-hunting’ within parts of the Murchison, and possibly the Godley, valleys.

A draft background paper has been prepared, setting out the facts to consider before deciding to go ahead with seeking an amendment. Public comment is sought to determine whether all relevant issues have been included.

The department will consider comments and consult with the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board, before deciding whether to proceed with seeking an amendment to the plan in February 2010.

Background:

Heli-hunting has emerged as a recreational tourist activity fast gaining in popularity within the South Island. It has potential to contribute to wild-animal control, either directly through animal removal or through providing revenue for other animal control operations.

It has now been confirmed that heli-hunting is already occurring without authorisation within the park. The Department’s response can either be one of difficult prohibition enforcement or to seek to manage the activity.

The proposal raises several issues regarding aircraft use within the park, including interactions with ground-based and other aircraft-assisted visitors to the park, consistency with the plan’s allowance for other aircraft users, and regarding wild-animal control outcomes. These are addressed in this paper.