Why translocation proposals are needed
A translocation proposal details how you will plan, consult, carry out transfers, monitor, and report on your translocation.
Translocation is a complex process that can have important, long-lasting effects - not just on the animal or plant being moved, but often on its whole environment
It is important that you consult with tangata whenua and other stakeholders to ensure ongoing support and maintain strong working relationships. This helps with future translocations.
Translocations can take a lot of time, effort and money. It's important that every step of the translocation is thought through carefully before it goes ahead.
Your DOC contact person will discuss the translocation proposal and any permits you may require.
How to propose a translocation.
When you need a translocation proposal
Translocation proposals are required if you plan to move native animals (and sometimes certain plants):
- from the wild to captivity
- from captivity to the wild
- between wild locations.
Proposals are not required for:
- captive to captive transfers
- injured or sick wildlife being treated under permits to temporarily hold injured wildlife
- aquatic life (there is a separate process for these)
- marine plants and animals (except for birds)
- some situations where wildlife is relocated from sites affected by development under RMA consents
- exotic animals
- indigenous animal species that are game (Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Act) or that are protected (Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act)
- exotic plant species
- revegetation/restoration planting projects that have an approved restoration plan
When do you need a permit
Even if you don't need an approved translocation proposal for your translocation, you will probably still need a permit from DOC.
Permits are required for:
- collecting or releasing animals or plants on land managed by DOC
- translocation of wildlife (including marine species) covered by the Wildlife Act
- translocation of aquatic life and marine mammals.
Plan for success
When planning and carrying out translocations, you should aim to do the following.
Have good planning and decision making
- Have a good project team
- Consult and seek appropriate advice
- Be realistic about how long the planning and preparation takes
- Involve tangata whenua and stakeholders
- Have sufficient funding or a plan to obtain it
Show that your proposal is ecologically sound
- Plan the translocation well to have a high chance of success
- Consider the foreseeable implications of the translocation
- Consider disease risks and how to manage them
- Include features in the design that worked in other translocations
- Include post-release management to improve the chance or success
Learn from what you do
- Monitor the translocation and write it all down
- Analyse the results (What lessons did you learn? What needs to change?) and prepare reports
- Make the information available to others so they can make improvements
- Sharing information will help to boost the success of future translocations
Outline of a translocation proposal
For DOC to be able to assess the likely practicability of your proposal, we need the following from you:
Title: This needs to sum up what you want to move, from where to where, and when.
Purpose:
- What do you want to achieve through the translocation?
- What is your plan? What long-term benefit could the translocation have for the species or site?
- Why do you want to do it? Explain the reasons for the translocation. Why will the translocation help conservation goals? I.e. will it help support other species you want to introduce (e.g. burrowing seabirds help provide nutrients that benefit the plant/reptile communities on islands).
Context: How does your plan fit into any wider context, such as a restoration plan for the site, or connection to other transfers?
Release site (destination): Describe the release site and its location and size.
How does the release site meet the needs of the species being moved (for example food, habitat, breeding requirements)? Will you end up with a self-sustaining population at this site (that is, you will not have to release more of that animal or plant to maintain its population at the site)? (For example is the habitat large enough? Will animals disperse from the release site?).
History of the species at the release site: Was this species ever at this site before? If so, why did it die out? (For example, predators, forest clearing, competition). Could this happen again?
If your planned site has never had this species before, why have you chosen it rather than a site where it was found before?
Impact: Will introducing this species limit other species that can be introduced in the future? What impacts could the translocation have on other species at the release site (for example, will there be significant competition for food, or significant predation on other species) ?
Will the translocation make it harder to manage problem weeds or animal pests at this site?
Method:
- How would you carry out the translocation? Describe your methods. Will more than one transfer be needed to establish this population? If so, how many transfers might you need, and how many individuals in each transfer?
- Where will the plants or animals come from? Are there enough?
- Who are you? Tell us the relevant skills and experience of you and your team.
Captivity: Does your proposal involve captive holding or breeding? Is there already a captive breeding population of this species? If not, what will you do with the captive population long term?
Funding: If your proposal is approved, what resources do you have to carry it out? (Include here volunteers and sponsorship).