An ‘Edible Pest’ Animal Council?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 2:02 pm – Posted by Mandy | No Comments

Guest blogger: Forest & Bird’s conservation advocate Quentin Duthie

Forest & Bird is concerned about a proposed “Game Animal Council” that would take over management of four of the largest and most tasty pest animals in New Zealand - deer, pigs, thar and chamois.

 We think it’s essential that management of these pest animals and their impact on the ecology of our public conservation lands remain with the Department of Conservation.

Unfortunately the new proposal differs from a panel recommendation in 2008, that affirmed that conservation remains the priority.

Many groups have an interest in pest animal management - hunters, conservationists, tourists, farmers, you name it - and it is important that a government agency can manage the challenges of pest managment and the conflicts between stakeholders.

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Published in: General, Native plants and forests, Threats and Impacts
Tags: chamois, conservation, deer, forests, hunting, pests, pigs, thar
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Photo–essay: Hanging out with feathered royalty

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 1:07 pm – Posted by Tom | 3 Comments

Guest blogger: Photographer: Tom Marshall

Its not often you get the chance to hang around with royalty, but for the last few weeks I’ve had just that privilege with the Kingfishers (Kotare) of the Avon-Heathcote estuary near Christchurch.

Most often thought of as a bird of wetlands and coasts, the New Zealand Kingfisher is in fact a member of the ‘tree kingfishers’ family (Halcyonidae) and is just as likely to seen in farmland and forests, often far from water.

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Published in: General, Native land animals
Tags: hunting, kingfisher, prey
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