Tahr sighting and control maps 2020
View sighting and control maps from 2020, taken for operational plans between 2020 and 2021. They include control operations and where tahr had been seen on public conservation land.

Hunters can head out on trips this summer on public conservation land throughout the feral range knowing DOC’s work for the year is complete.

Note: The management units we refer to are shown in the Tahr Management Units map (1,158K, PDF).

Maps from Tahr Control Operational Plan: 2020–2021

Maps are posted to this page following tahr control operations. These maps show where operations have taken place and how many tahr have been controlled.

As DOC has not targeted identifiable male tahr outside of the national parks (Management Unit 4), observations of identifiable males across 425,000 ha of public conservation land have been recorded and shared on this page to help hunters plan their next hunt.

Note:

  • There are absolutely no plans to eradicate tahr.
  • DOC only targeted all tahr inside Aoraki/Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks (Management Unit 4). This has helped DOC to meet its legal obligations and protect these special places.
  • Outside of the national parks (Management Unit 4), identifiable male tahr have been left for hunters across 425,000 ha of public conservation land.
  • A series of summary maps featuring all observations of identifiable male tahr made within a management unit have been produced.
  • There will be no further control operations on public conservation land within the feral range while the Tahr Control Operational Plan for 2020/21 remains in place.
Combined sightings of identifiable males in areas where control is complete under the Tahr Control Operational Plan 2020/21
Management unit Date range of operations included Identifiable male sightings Identifiable males observed
MU 1 South Rakaia – Upper Rangitata July – November 2020 Summary sightings map (PDF, 3,572K) 346
MU 2 South Whitcombe – Whataroa July – November 2020 Summary sightings map (PDF, 3,852K) 543
MU 3 Gammack – Two Thumb July – November 2020 Summary sightings map (PDF, 5,301K) 295
MU 5 Ben Ohau July – November 2020 Summary sightings map (PDF, 3,643K) 144
MU 6 Landsborough July – November 2020 Summary sightings map (PDF, 3,473K) 5791

Notes:

  • Sightings of identifiable males observed in management units outside of Management Unit 4 have been mapped.  
  • The circles represent the size of the tahr groups observed.
  • Some areas have been flown more than once and it is possible some of the recorded sightings may be of the same animal observed on different occasions.
  • If sightings are not recorded on a map at a particular location, tahr may still be present. DOC has not flown or hunted every valley within an individual management unit.
  • 1 Approximately 150 additional identifiable males were observed in the Landsborough but have not been mapped due to an error in the waypoints.
Identifiable males seen in management units July – November 2020
Management unit Date of operation Identifiable male sightings Identifiable males observed
MU 1 South Rakaia – Upper Rangitata 24–26 July 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,568K) 111
9–10 August 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,569K) 167
2–9 October 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,568K) 68
MU 2 South Whitcombe – Whataroa 24–27 July 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,848K) 240
12 August 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,847K) 59
20 September 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,052K) 79
2–9 October 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,847K) 55
10–13 November 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,847K) 110
MU 3 Gammack – Two Thumb 24–26 July 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 5,299K) 98
8–9 August 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 5,299K) 129
22 Oct – 11 Nov 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 5,298K) 68
MU 5 Ben Ohau 11 August 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,640K) 84
14–23 October 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,641K) 60
MU 6 Landsborough 27 July 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,469K) 101
11 August 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,373K) 94
9–23 October 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,374K) 217
1–2 November 2020 Sightings map (PDF, 3,468K) 17

 

Tahr controlled in management units July – November 2020
Management unit Date of operation Tahr control maps Tahr controlled
MU 1 South Rakaia – Upper Rangitata 24-26 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,688K) 272 female and juvenile
9–10 August 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,566K) 207 female and juvenile
9 October 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,564K) 76 female and juvenile
MU 2 South Whitcombe – Whataroa 24-27 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,849K) 464 female and juvenile
12 August 2002 Control map (PDF, 3,848K) 78 female and juvenile
20 September 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,053K) 134 female and juvenile
9 October 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,847K) 73 female and juvenile
10–13 November 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,848K) 289 female and juvenile
MU 3 Gammack – Two Thumb 24–26 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 5,300K) 228 female and juvenile
8–9 August 2020 Control map (PDF, 2,927K) 241 female and juvenile
22 Oct – 11 Nov 2020 Control map (PDF, 2,927K) 172 female and juvenile
MU 4A Westland/Tai Poutini National Park 15–19, 28 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,201K) 853 animals
10–11 August 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,305K) 230 animals
3–12 September 2020 Control map (PDF, 2,084K) 867 animals
21–23 October 2020

Control map (PDF, 2,602K) 242 animals
MU 4B Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park 17, 27 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,862K) 323 animals
12–14 August 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,919K) 539 animals
19–20 September 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,064K) 245 animals
MU 5 Ben Ohau 11 August 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,649K) 139 female and juvenile
14–23 October 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,640K) 102 female and juvenile
MU 6 Landsborough 24-27 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,473K) 989 female and juvenile
11 August 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,469K) 114 female and juvenile
9–23 October 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,472K) 448 female and juvenile
1-2 November 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,470K) 146 female and juvenile
MU 7 Wills Hunter 27 July 2020 Control map (PDF, 3,188K) 10 female and juvenile

Footnotes:

  • The circles represent the size of the tahr groups controlled/observed. In some cases individual animals belonging to clusters have been removed.
  • Some areas have been flown more than once.
  • Approximately 150 identifiable males were observed in the Landsborough but due to an error were not captured as waypoints so have not been mapped.

Tahr control outside of the feral range: January 2020 to June 2020

This map shows the locations, results and effort of DOC targeting all tahr outside of the feral range to stop the geographical range of tahr from increasing.

Between January 2020 and June 2020, a total of 511 tahr were controlled outside of the feral range.

Tahr control outside the feral range January – June 2020 (PDF, 3,262K)