Around 300 hinds are to be removed from Fiordland National Park as part of a new trial animal management project. 

The project, jointly developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), Fiordland Wapiti Foundation (FWF) and the Game Animal Council (AGC), is aimed at helping reduce the parks growing deer population.

Poor wild venison prices and the resulting reduction in wild animal recovery operations (WARO) has contributed to the increase.

The new project will supplement existing work, including FEF's usual deer management operations with sees around 800 – 1000 animals taken annually.  

DOC’s George Ledgard says management will occur at locations to the west of the Murchison Mountains and south of the established wapiti range in Fiordland.

“Monitoring in these areas indicates that with less WARO in recent years, work is needed to reduce deer numbers and protect sensitive alpine species such as the mountain buttercup and Fiordland mountain daisy.”

“Importantly the project will help maintain the high conservation values of both the Murchison Mountains, home of the takahē, and Secretary Island, Fiordland’s largest deer free island, which is within swimming distance of the mainland.”

FWF President Roy Sloan says the buffer control work is partially funded by FWF and will also protect the wapiti range from incursion by red deer. He hopes that some of the wapiti-type deer can be recovered for their meat, and that the project will benefit local operators. 

“The project will also support the local helicopter industry that has been heavily hit by both the downturn in tourism and wild venison prices.”

The FWF say that their nearly 20-year partnership with DOC, including game animal management and pest control programmes, has helped protect vulnerable native species while achieving a lower-density, high-quality wapiti herd prized by recreational hunters.

GAC’s Tim Gale says collaborative approach benefits all involved. 

“The development of this programme and the ongoing collaboration between the hunting sector and DOC in Fiordland is a model for progressive game animal management in New Zealand."

“It is also an illustration of how well-planned management benefits both conservation and hunting with the reward being better hunting in an improved ecosystem.”

The programme is due to get underway during the next period of stable weather and will run over the next few months.