DOC's work with feral goats
See also:
Read about the dogs used in DOC's goat control work in Tahi's story - Conservation Blog 14 May 2012
'Judas' goat with a radio transmitter
around its neck, used in goat control
Government control operations of feral goats began in the 1930s in areas where goats competed with sheep for available grazing. These days, goat control is targeted at areas where their browsing threatens rare native plants or damages the forest understorey.
Goat control operations today are based on the values at each site, feasibility of control/eradication and other conservation management activities happening at the site.
In open country, with low population densities, Judas goat technology is sometimes used. In these situations, a goat is caught, fitted with a radio-collar and released back into the area. This animal - known as a Judas - then hopefully joins up with any remaining mob of goats, allowing the hunter to locate and shoot the mob.
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