Thread: Thar extermination

Just found this on the DOC website and highlighted a few interesting points

How will the control operations be done?
A meeting with the Tahr Liaison Group was held in Christchurch on 29 August 2018. The following approach to reduce the tahr population has been proposed:

NZDA, Safari Club International and Tahr Interest Group work together with their members to remove at least 2,500 tahr from public conservation land and provide evidence and data.

WARO operators (who are concessioned) to remove 3,000 tahr from public conservation land and provide evidence and data.

AATH operators to remove 1,500 tahr from public conservation land using offsets and provide evidence and data.

Professional hunting guides to remove 500 tahr from public conservation land and provide evidence and data.

DOC to remove 10,000 tahr from public conservation land and provide evidence and data (excluding Westland/Tai Poutini and Aoraki Mt Cook National Parks).

About DOC's control operations:

DOC control operations will initially focus on Management Units 1 (Rakaia-Rangitata) and 3 (Gammack-Two Thumb) before the breeding starts mid-November 2018. Control would then move onto the other management units through the year. The control operation will remove tahr from above 305 metres (1,000 feet) in these management units.
The 10,000 animals DOC will remove, will be made up of 3,000 male tahr and 7,000 “other” tahr which will be a mix of nannies and juveniles (excluding animals removed from the Westland/Tai Poutini and Aoraki Mt Cook National Parks).
DOC control operations will target the highest density areas in the management units.
DOC will not undertake control operations in any management units between 15 November 2018 and 15 January 2019. DOC will undertake control operations in the Northern and Southern Exclusion Zones and Risk Zones over this period and all tahr will be targeted in these zones as normal.
DOC will resume aerial control operations after 15 January 2019 as per the tactical plan if they have not achieved their target of 10,000 animals.
All tahr will be targeted in the Westland/Tai Poutini and Aoraki Mt Cook National Parks are per the 1993 Himalayan Tahr Control Plan.
DOC will stop control operations in the Wilderness Areas by 30 March 2019.
DOC will undertake control operations to recover any shortfall of animals not achieved by 1 May 2019.
How long will the control operations take?
Control operations will continue until the estimated number of tahr are below the maximum limit specified in the Himalayan Tahr Control Plan. The programme will be reviewed in April 2019.

Where have control operations taken place?
DOC acknowledges the contributions made by recreational hunters. For hunters that are planning to go tahr hunting on public conservation land, DOC will be posting the following information on its website, so you can make an informed decision on where you would like to go hunting:

Tahr sightings maps: The information on this page will show where tahr have been seen. There will be a map and supporting information showing the helicopter flightpath and the location of animal/s.
Tahr control maps: The information on this page will show where aerial control operations have occurred. There will be a map and supporting information showing the helicopter flightpath and the location of control work.
Ground control operations: The information on this page will have post trip reports on how many animals were removed as part of any authorised ground control operations on public conservation land.
Tahr ballot results: This information will be posted after the summer and winter tahr ballot periods have closed for the Hooker/Landsborough and Adams Wilderness Areas.
Tahr sightings maps
The maps below show helicopter flight paths and waypoints where animals were sighted.

The tables show the number of tahr sighted at each waypoint and the altitude.

Tahr sightings maps - Aoraki Mount Cook operation
Management Unit (MU) Date of operation Maps Tahr sightings information
16 – 21 June 2018 Overview map (PDF, 1,361) (opens in new window)
MU-5 16 June 2018 Lower Ben Ohau Range map (PDF, 1,192K) (opens in new window) Lower Ben Ohau Range table (PDF, 81K) (opens in new window)
MU-5 17 June 2018 Mid Ben Ohau Range map (PDF, 1,056K) (opens in new window) Mid Ben Ohau Range table (PDF, 81K) (opens in new window)
MU-5 18 June 2018 Hopkins River map (PDF, 1,205K) (opens in new window) Hopkins River table (PDF, 80K) (opens in new window)
MU-4b 18 June 2018 Hooker River map (PDF, 1,414K) (opens in new window) Hooker River table (PDF, 90K) (opens in new window)
MU-3 19 June 2018 Gamack Range map (PDF, 1,464K) (opens in new window) Garmack Range table (PDF, 95K) (opens in new window)
MU-4b 20 June 2018 Murchison River map (PDF, 1,466K) (opens in new window) Murchison River table (PDF, 96K) (opens in new window)
MU-4b 21 June 2018 Godley River map (PDF, 1,331K) (opens in new window) Godley River table (PDF, 91K) (opens in new window)

Tahr sightings maps - Two Thumb Range operation
Map number Date of operation Maps Tahr sightings information
5 August 2018 Overview map (PDF, 3000K) (opens in new window)
1 5 August 2018 Lower section of the Two Thumb Range map (PDF, 3,559K) (opens in new window) Lower section of the Two Thumb Range table (PDF, 83K) (opens in new window)
2 5 August 2018 Mid section of the Two Thumb Range map (PDF, 3,582K) (opens in new window) Mid section of the Two Thumb Range table (PDF, 94K) (opens in new window)
3 5 August 2018 Upper section of the Two Thumb Range map (PDF, 3,102K) (opens in new window) Upper section of the Two Thumb Range table (PDF, 100K) (opens in new window)
4 5 August 2018 Headwaters of the Clyde River map (PDF, 684K) (opens in new window) Headwaters of the Clyde River table (PDF, 91K) (opens in new window)
5 5 August 2018 Headwaters of the Lawrence River map (PDF, 685K) (opens in new window) Headwaters of the Lawrence River table (PDF, 87K) (opens in new window)
Tahr control maps
The maps below show helicopter flight paths and waypoints where animals have been shot.

The tables show the number of tahr seen at each waypoint and the altitude.

Tahr control maps - Aoraki Mount Cook operation
Management Unit (MU) Date of operation Maps Tahr control information
16-21 June 2018 Overview map (PDF, 1,361) (opens in new window)
MU-5 16 June 2018 Lower Ben Ohau Range map (PDF, 1,192K) (opens in new window) Lower Ben Ohau Range table (PDF, 81K) (opens in new window)
MU-5 17 June 2018 Mid Ben Ohau Range map (PDF, 1,056K) (opens in new window) Mid Ben Ohau Range table (PDF, 81K) (opens in new window)
MU-5 18 June 2018 Hopkins River map (PDF, 1,205K) (opens in new window) Hopkins River table (PDF, 80K) (opens in new window)
MU-4b 18 June 2018 Hooker River map (PDF, 1,414K) (opens in new window) Hooker River table (PDF, 90K) (opens in new window)
MU-3 19 June 2018 Gamack Range map (PDF, 1,464K) (opens in new window) Garmack Range table (PDF, 95K) (opens in new window)
MU-4b 20 June 2018 Murchison River map (PDF, 1,466K) (opens in new window) Murchison River table (PDF, 96K) (opens in new window)
MU-4b 21 June 2018 Godley River map (PDF, 1,331K) (opens in new window) Godley River table (PDF, 91K) (opens in new window)
Viewing files on this page
If you can't view these files contact us to request another format. About our files.



The main things I got from that are that between AATH, guides and DOC, they will be removing 5000 "trophy" animals from DOC land.
We can't complain about a lack of information about the process.
Here is a link to the site if you want to view the maps.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...ol-operations/