Introducing Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus)
The New Zealand problem:
As tahr have no natural predators in New Zealand their population can increase unchecked, unless there is regular control from hunters or DOC. Large groups can form and damage plants which provide vital food and shelter for native animals.
BUT…..
The global context
Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) are – as their name suggests – native to the Himalayas, where they are now sadly considered a near threatened species on the IUCN Red list of threatened species as their population is in decline. They are their own genus and species, neither sheep nor goats, world renowned and admired for their ability to live high in the harshest mountain environments and for their amazing shaggy winter coats, being the only animal in the world other than the lion to have a mane.
They were first introduced to New Zealand, 116 years ago in 1904 near Aoraki/Mt Cook by the Government Tourism board of the day, for sport and to attract tourist hunters to visit New Zealand. Due to the absence of any predators (like the snow leopards that prey on them in the Himalayas), and the ideal mountain habitat provided by the Southern Alps, they largely thrived and spread to occupy today’s feral range from the Landsborough River in the South, to the Rakaia River in the North.
Tahr were protected by the government up until 1937 when there was a change in mindset from one of asset to pest, which saw them culled by government ground hunters through the 40s, 50s & 60s. A commercial market for tahr meat was established in the 1970’s and commercial helicopter tahr recovery nearly wiped out the entire tahr population by 1983. The government of the day prevented elimination of tahr through a moratorium on commercial harvest of tahr, and initiated a process to manage tahr, resulting in a Himalayan Thar Policy in 1991, and the Himalayan Thar Control Plan in 1993 (HTCP).
- Sources: https://www.nztf.org.nz/tahr101 | Department of Conservation
- More info at https://www.doc.govt.nz/tahr-and-conservation
