Wallaby sightings 'concerning' but no established population

Four wallaby sightings in Otago in six weeks is ''definitely concerning'', but the Otago Regional Council says the animals still do not have a foothold in the region.

A regional council report released yesterday said four of the animals were sighted between September 29 and November 10.

Two were in Georgetown, near Oamaru, one was shot from a helicopter by a local landowner at the headwaters of Dunstan Creek, near St Bathans, and one was believed to have been dumped in Balclutha, the report said.

Council environmental monitoring and operations director Scott MacLean said four in six weeks would ''definitely be on the higher side''.

''It is a lot. It's certainly concerning. The good thing is people are seeing them and reporting them to us.''

It was unclear whether the numbers related to an influx of the animal or better reporting due to their higher profile, he said.

It was a council priority to stop wallabies establishing a breeding population in Otago, he said.

''We don't believe there is an established population, but there is certainly pressure on the regional boundary.''

Most of the sightings were of lone wallabies, he said. There was a chance two of the sightings could have been of the same animal, but it was difficult to tell.

''With regards to Georgetown, a wallaby sighting was reported to the ORC and several days after, a wallaby was found dead on the road nearby, having been run over.''

The timely reporting of wallaby sightings was ''crucial'' if the council was to have any hope of locating the animals, he said.

The council was reviewing its pest management plan and urged the community to share their views on pest management in Otago.

The council was also taking part in a research project with Landcare Research and Environment Canterbury, the aim of which was to help with wallaby detection.

Part of this project involved capturing live wallabies, fitting them with GPS collars, releasing them and tracking them with thermal technology.

jono.edwards@odt.co.nz

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