Greater Wellington is the promotional name of the Wellington Regional Council
News release

24 February 2004

Get Them Goats

Over the next few weeks feral goats in some of our Parks, Forests and water catchment areas will be culled by the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Greater Wellington Landcare Committee Chairman Chris Laidlaw said feral goats are one of this country’s most destructive pests and their foraging can lead to extensive forest damage and erosion problems.

“Our hunting contractors have done an excellent job in reducing goat numbers. It had also been great to receive support from adjoining landowners, some of whom have allowed hunting on their land near park boundaries. Adjoining landowners could further protect our parks and forests by maintaining their boundaries with goat proof fences,” he said.

“Feral goats eat plant seedlings and this can eventually lead to native bush being reduced to scrub land and tree ferns. Because they destroy native flora goats can encourage the spread of weeds into forests, preventing the natural regeneration of protective bush cover on slips and erosion prone country.”

Greater Wellington Environmental Ranger, Jaap Knegtmans said that over the next few years goats within the designated areas will be aerially hunted, followed up by ground based hunting techniques using trained goat dogs and radio collared goats to locate herds.

ENDS

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