Forest & Bird has hit out at the plan to give special status to the wapiti deer, saying it is allowing a North American deer species to use a national park "as a glorified vege patch".
Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager announced on Monday the government was looking to make the wapiti deer a herd of special interest (HOSI).
It would also allow the introduced animal to live in Fiordland National Park.
A HOSI would improve herd and trophy health, better manage the impact of valued and other introduced species and continue to improve biodiversity, Mr Meager said.
Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki said the agency was baffled by the prioritisation of government time and energy into helping 512 hunters shoot 86 deer in a national park.
"It’s hard to put into words just how questionable this decision is."
Wapiti deer were an introduced feral species contributing to biodiversity damage in Fiordland National Park, she said.
The park forms part of the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, which covers 2.6 million hectares — almost 10% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s total land area.
It was recognised by Unesco as the largest and least modified area of New Zealand’s natural ecosystems and the world’s best intact modern representation of the ancient biota of Gondwana.
"Instead of trying to ensure Fiordland can welcome kākāpō back to their home, this government is instead looking at changing the law to let a North American deer species use the national park as a glorified vege patch — eating away at the very natural heritage that these sanctuaries have been legally designed to protect.
"What’s next? A sanctuary for stoats?"
The plan was catering to a handful of vested interests at the expense of all New Zealanders, Ms Toki said.
Forest & Bird was appalled at the ongoing attacks on conservation land.
"This is merely the latest salvo in this government’s war on nature.
"Is there nothing that this government won’t do to our precious places, including conservation land and national parks?
"Mining on the Denniston Plateau, commercial fishing carve-outs in the Hauraki Gulf, selling off conservation land, and now game parks instead of national parks.
"New Zealanders are deeply concerned at this constant erosion of conservation in the very places that the government has been charged with protecting."
Forest & Bird was not anti-hunting," she said.
Hunting was part of the toolbox in tackling the out-of-control numbers of browsing animals that were causing significant damage to New Zealand’s environment.
"Forest & Bird is supportive of the role the hunting community can and does play in helping to stem the tide of deer, pig and goat numbers.
"However, we are equally clear that putting precious time and taxpayer money into a [HOSI] is not a priority." — APL
