The Department of Conservation has released its "reconsidered" tahr control operation plan for 2020 and 2021 but is warning it will not satisfy everyone. In July, a High Court decision allowed Doc to undertake half of its planned 250-hour tahr control programme for the 2020-21 season, while it consulted stakeholders such as the Tahr Foundation and reconsidered its operational plan. "While Doc considered each request from stakeholders, the finalised operational plan will not be able to completely satisfy all stakeholders, as submitters sought very different outcomes." The approved plan allowed recreational and commercial hunting of thousands of trophy bulls and other tahr on and off public conservation land, while still moving Doc towards meeting the goals of the statutory Himalayan Tahr Control Plan 1993. Key elements of the original operational plan remained in place and tahr culling would resume shortly in Aoraki/Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 01, 2020 15:33 UTC