Management of introduced mammals in New Zealand

Abstract

Of the 31 species of exotic mammals that have current wild or feral populations confirmed in New Zealand, at least 25 are actively managed as pests in at least part of their range to reduce their impacts on biodiversity and production values. This paper summarises the current legal status of introduced mammals, the strategic and tactical options to manage them as pests, and their actual management by different agencies, both as pests and as resources. We then discuss some ways in which management agencies might better integrate their actions, record how much is invested in different types of research on the different species, and summarise the main types of problems the research aims to address.

Keywords:

• mammals
• New Zealand
• management
• pests
• control
• research