Information sought on dead wallaby by roadside

Environment Southland wants to know whether this animal fell off a vehicle in Southland or...
Environment Southland wants to know whether this animal fell off a vehicle in Southland or whether wallabies have established there. PHOTO: ENVIRONMENT SOUTHLAND
Biosecurity officers are hoping a dead wallaby found in central Southland last month arrived on wheels and not on two legs.

The find was reported to Environment Southland, whose staff want to know whether the animal lived in the area or was shot outside the district.

"We're hoping the wallaby might've been shot somewhere else and was being brought home for dog tucker but fell off the back of the truck along the gravel road,'' Environment Southland senior biosecurity officer Dave Burgess said.

"That's the most likely scenario and we're not worried about it being killed - we have no problem with that - but just want to reassure ourselves wallabies haven't established here. There's a risk it was a live animal in the area and was run over,'' Mr Burgess said.

The wallaby was found on the side of the Hokonui School Rd. The area was not the usual wallaby habitat, being flat to rolling country, with no tussock or scrub cover.

Wallabies are pests under Southland's regional pest management strategy and no live animals have been found in the province. They are well-established in South Canterbury, damaging native forests and competing with sheep and cattle for pasture, Mr Burgess said.

"From what we've heard, they're getting into North Otago as well and that's the closest they've been found to here.''

If wallabies were establishing in Southland, it was "cheaper and easier'' to deal with a few of them rather than a bigger population later, he said.

Anybody who knows where the dead wallaby may have come from can contact Environment Southland on 0800 768-845.

 

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