ORC airs wallaby concern

Regional council talks have been held to help stop wallabies establishing in Otago. Photo by Pam...
Regional council talks have been held to help stop wallabies establishing in Otago. Photo by Pam Jones
Senior Otago Regional Council representatives have met their counterparts at Environment Canterbury to voice concerns about damaging wallaby pests hopping south of the Waitaki River.

ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead said he had earlier written to Dame Margaret Bazley, who chairs the commissioners who govern Environment Canterbury (ECan).

Mr Woodhead attended a meeting with Dame Margaret and ECan chief executive Bill Bayfield in Wellington last Friday to discuss matters.

Some other talks have also been held involving ORC and ECan officials to identify anti-wallaby measures which have worked well for ECan, and to pave the way for collaborative efforts to stop the pests moving south into Otago.

Mr Woodhead previously warned the council of the long-term threat wallabies pose to Otago if they become established in the region.

In March, the ORC received a hard-hitting staff report on the need to counter the growing threat of wallaby incursions from South Canterbury, including via the Hawkdun Range.

Councillors approved the report's recommendation a ''comprehensive proactive wallaby incursion response [and a] control and surveillance strategy, including funding implications and communications plan'', be drafted for council consideration before the end of June.

The report highlighted rising numbers of wallaby sightings in Otago and said the threat could be countered through a structured programme that complemented ECan's eradication programme, for wallabies outside the containment zone, south of the Waitaki River.

Council chief executive Peter Bodeker reported to a council meeting yesterday on recent talks with ECan authorities, given that ECan is responsible for wallaby control efforts both north of the Waitaki River and also on parts of the southern side.

The wallaby has been adopted as a symbol in Waimate, and there have been suggestions that some people have been feeding wallabies nearby.

The council later heard some of the wallabies recently found in Otago were believed to have been deliberately released there, perhaps to establish a population for potential local hunting purposes.

The ORC will undertake collaborative work to more clearly identify any areas of concern south of the ECan containment zone.

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