Media Release

6 December 2002

Wild Animal Management Wanted

The Department of Conservation’s wanton destruction of tahr in the Southern Alps demonstrates the need for sensible and rational wild animal management policies, says New Zealand First’s Conservation Spokesman, Edwin Perry MP.

“Many New Zealanders are horrified at the wasteful and mindless destruction that results from DoC’s extermination policies,” said Mr Perry.

He said the policies were irrational, a waste of taxpayers’ money and were destroying a resource with a high public recreational and tourist value.

“The tahr case is one example of a wild animal extermination policy driven by the Royal Forest and Bird Society, obediently taken up by DoC and applied to all wild animals – including tahr, despite its relatively low population numbers.”

“New Zealand’s conservation authorities still seem to be clinging to a wild animal menace ideology which originated at a “Deer Menace Conference” in 1930” said Mr Perry.

“The destruction of the tahr is an abuse of a public resource that should be managed along proper game management lines.”

ENDS

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