The Tahr Foundation is pleased that the 2021-2022 tahr control operational plan released indicates the Department of
Conservation has utilised the knowledge and expertise of the hunting sector. The Tahr Foundation and other hunting
organisations are trying to assist DOC target control work where it is needed most.
“Hunters are in the hills very regularly and often for extended periods,” says NZ Tahr Foundation Spokesperson Willie
Duley.
“Following consecutive years of heavy culling, there are now huge variations in tahr population densities, even within
the same management units. We have been able to provide DOC with information and maps that set out where tahr numbers
are low and no culling is required and also where we think tahr numbers still need reducing.”
“Coupled with information from population surveys and control operations this provides a more current and comprehensive
knowledge base so more informed decisions can be made each year. It simply comes down to killing the right tahr in the
right place and we look forward to seeing our input included when the control operations commence”
Ongoing tahr management that gives priority to conserving our alpine vegetation whilst allowing sufficient tahr for
recreational and commercial hunting is constrained by an out-of-date Himalayan Tahr Control Plan and legislation such as
the National Parks Act.
The Himalayan Tahr Control Plan is acknowledged as being experimental and the population limits for tahr were set
conservatively. The Tahr Foundation agrees with DOC’s approach of learning as we go as it is consistent with modern
wildlife management techniques.
“In order to learn something, you need to make pragmatic changes and then monitor the result. We will be pushing for
changes to target levels in order to find the balance between quality habitat and tahr numbers.” Duley says.
The Tahr Foundation still sees no sense in the targeting of bull tahr in National Parks as this requirement is based on
ideology and not science.
“A low number of bull tahr in a National Park will have negligible effect on the environment but are highly prized by
recreational and commercial hunters”
“The Tahr Foundation will continue to work cooperatively and collaboratively with DOC and the hunting sector but we need
to make changes in order to move forward and arrive at a long-term plan so we have a healthy habitat and a huntable tahr
herd for future generations” Duley says.