Key Takeaways:
- The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has killed or contained over 2000 wallabies as part of its pest control program in 2024/25.
- Wallabies are a significant threat to New Zealand’s biodiversity and economy, causing millions of dollars in lost farm production and environmental benefits.
- The Department of Conservation and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council are working together to reduce the spread of wallabies and ultimately achieve eradication.
- The Central North Island containment area for wallabies covers approximately 260,000 hectares, and efforts are focused on finding and eliminating all wallaby populations in areas outside this core range.
- The regional council also manages other animal pest issues, including rabbits, stoats, and possums, and has processed nearly 1000 feral goats in the past year.
Introduction to the Wallaby Problem
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has made significant progress in its efforts to control the wallaby population in the region. In the 2024/25 year, the council killed or contained over 2000 wallabies as part of its pest control program. Wallabies were introduced to New Zealand from Australia in the late 1800s for hunting, private zoos, and for the value of their skin. However, without a natural predator, they have adapted to New Zealand conditions and are now estimated to number over 1 million in the wild. Despite their cute and cuddly appearance, wallabies pose a significant threat to New Zealand’s biodiversity and economy.
The Impact of Wallabies on the Environment
Wallabies eat everything within their reach in native bush, including seedlings that make up future forests. This destruction of forest regeneration and productive farmland equates to a massive financial cost, with wallabies costing New Zealanders millions of dollars in lost farm production and lost environmental benefits. The Department of Conservation’s Rotorua operations manager, Zane Jensen, emphasized the importance of controlling the wallaby population, stating that they "destroy" forest regeneration and productive farmland. The Department of Conservation is working alongside numerous entities and the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme to reduce the spread of wallabies and ultimately achieve eradication.
The Eradication Efforts
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council is responsible for pest control in the region and is part of the eradication program. In June, the regional council changed its Regional Pest Management Plan to contain all wallaby species known to be present in the region as an eradication or progressive containment species. The Central North Island containment area for wallabies covers approximately 260,000 hectares, and efforts are focused on finding and eliminating all wallaby populations in areas outside this core range. The regional council eradicated 15 wallabies in 2024-25, with a further 1988 "contained", meaning prevented from spreading outside the containment zone. Contractors, with wallaby indicator dogs and trail cameras, locate and determine the extent of wallaby populations, and the council works with landowners to plan and deliver wallaby control.
Other Animal Pest Issues
Wallabies are not the only animal pest issue in the region. The regional council manages exclusion and eradication pests, like wallabies and goats, while landowners handle containment species. The regional council received 147 public enquiries for other animal pests in the year to June 30, including rabbits, stoats, and possums. These pests are considered advisory threats as they are already well-established, and the regional council can assist with control advice, but responsibility lies with the landowners or occupiers. The regional council has also processed nearly 1000 feral goats in the past year, with eight eradicated and 960 contained, as part of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Feral Goat Programme.
Conclusion and Future Efforts
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s efforts to control the wallaby population are ongoing, and the council is working closely with the Department of Conservation and other entities to achieve eradication. The regional council’s wallaby program leader, Davor Bejakovich, emphasized that the focus is on finding and eliminating the last wallaby in the area, rather than just reducing numbers. With the government investing $1 million over two years to aid efforts, the council is committed to reducing the spread of wallabies and ultimately achieving eradication. The council is also working to address other animal pest issues in the region, including rabbits, stoats, and possums, to protect New Zealand’s biodiversity and economy.