Stewart Island deer an asset to be managed

A recent news item told of Government funding being sought by the Southland Conservation Board to ‘control’ deer ‘‘wreaking havoc on native forest on Stewart Island’’.

The board shows its lack of knowledge of ecological history.

Would the board be paranoid about moa munching foliage as they did for 60 million years?

Eminent ecologist the late Dr Graeme Caughley estimated moa numbers to be in the millions, which contrasts to Landcare Research’s 2001 NZ wild deer estimate of 250,000.

In short, the native vegetation evolved under a strong browsing regime by moa and other avian browsers. Moa remains have been found on Stewart Island.

Scientists have said moa browsing is ‘‘not dissimilar’’ to deer browsing, several expressing this view at a 1986 seminar on ‘‘Moas and Mammals’’.

The problem – if it exists – is to manage the deer. It’s known in other countries as wildlife management. It’s mostly unknown here.

Experienced hunters don’t want huge numbers of deer and recognise any species numbers should be within the carrying capacity of the habitat.

But experienced, knowledgeable hunters don’t want ‘‘pest paranoia’’ and injudicious eco-toxins like 1080.

To understand how nature works, the board should read the 1956 Fiordland Lake Monk study by scientist Thane Riney of an ‘‘unhunted’’ deer population that reached its own level to be below carrying capacity.

The board’s chairman bemoans rata seedlings being browsed. No doubt moa browsed them. That’s why trees have such an abundance of seedlings of which only a few grow to maturity.

Stewart Island’s whitetail deer population is an asset to be managed.

Laurie Collins

Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust