Biosecurity in our region Pest animals
Managing pest animals is vital to help protect agricultural and horticultural production, and native biodiversity in our region.
Protecting agricultural production values is the key driver of our pest animal management programmes. In addition to possums, the management of introduced predators like cats and ferrets, and browsers like goats and deer, is needed to safeguard the biological diversity of our region. These species are wide-spread and their management presents the challenge of doing too little in too many places.
Under the Biosecurity Act, Horizons produces and implements a Regional Pest Management Plan. Our role under the Plan is to prevent the incursion of new animal pests and sufficiently manage those already established.
Pest animal species in the Regional Pest Management Plan
Exclusion
Exclusion species are species which are not currently known to be in the region, and which Horizons would manage if they showed up. Examples of these species are:
Wallaby species
Eradication
Eradication species are those species which have a limited distribution within the region, and which are feasible for Horizons to control in order to protect production and environmental values. Examples of these species are:
Rooks
Progressive containment
Progressive containment species are those species which are present within the region and have a wider distribution where eradication is not feasible. The goal is to reduce the geographic distribution of these pests over time to protect the production and environmental values of the region where it is feasible. Horizons manages these pests in some areas of the region where the distribution is limited and it is feasible to do so.
Sustained control programme
Horizons’ Sustained Control Programme covers species which Horizons seeks to control to levels where their impacts on economic values and/or environmental values are cost-effectively reduced (i.e. that the cost of control is less than the opportunity costs that arise if these pests go unmanaged). These pests are widespread throughout the region. Examples of these species are:
Possums
Feral rabbits
Possum Control Programme
Horizons is a major player in the game of possum control in the region, working not only to improve the region’s biodiversity but also to protect property value and farm production by managing possums on farmland and other private property.
Possums are incredibly destructive to our native environment and production. It’s estimated that 14-15 possums can eat the same amount of grass as one sheep. They can also be carriers of bovine tuberculosis. Initiated in 2006, Horizons’ possum control programme aims to bring all rateable land under sustainable possum control, covering an area of approximately 1.6 million hectares.
Horizons’ current possum control programme came about in 2006 as OSPRI began to scale back its operations in areas where it had been successful in reducing bovine tuberculosis. Horizons’ work complements possum control on Crown land carried out by the Department of Conservation and OSPRI work to control bovine tuberculosis.
Report a pest or get advice
Need to know how to deal with a pest? If you're having problems with pest animals our team can offer advice on control options.
TB Vector Control
You may know possums destroy native habitats in our region and threaten wildlife – but did you know they are also a major TB vector? A TB vector is a wild animal that transmits Bovine tuberculosis (TB) to farmed animals. This infectious disease is one of New Zealand’s most serious animal health problems, which puts access to beef and venison export markets at risk.
OSPRI has been conducting TB possum control operations for several years in our region. The results have been a successful reduction in TB, as indicated by the number of infected cattle and deer herds. Some areas are now testing clear of the disease, showing a large reduction in the possum population.
Our aim is to continue reducing possum numbers to the point where we are satisfied we have eradicated TB in the wildlife. We will conduct surveys of the wildlife to prove this – wild pigs as well as possums are a good indicator.
A spin-off from our TB work is that many of the region’s native habitats and wildlife are protected from the pesky possum.
For more information about OSPRI's pest control work, check out their website here.
Canada Geese
We have had enquires recently about options for controlling Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Canada geese cause substantial damage to waterways and agricultural pastures. Five geese are able to consume the same amount of grass as one sheep, while their droppings are harmful to waterways and pastoral land.
We strongly recommend landowners undertake Canada geese control, which can be done at any time using almost any method. We've created a factsheet about Canada geese and what can be done to control them, which you can download below.