Animal pests and threats A - Z
Introduction
Animal pests and threats have a major detrimental effect on our environment. Controlling them is essential for the survival of our native plants and animals.New Zealand has been geographically separated from other land masses for over 80 million years. Our native wildlife has evolved in isolation and in the absence of land mammals.
When invasive species and predators were introduced they took a serious toll on the survival of our native plants, birds, reptiles and invertebrates, who were ill equipped to deal with the threat.
Predators such as possums, rats and stoats compete with our native birdlife for food and habitat. They also eat the eggs and young and attack the adults.
Introduced wild animals like goats, deer, pigs, tahr, and chamois eat and damage native plants and habitats. Wild animals can change the type and number of plants present, prevent forest regeneration, and make land more vulnerable to slips and erosion. This can have long term consequences for the health of native ecosystems and worsen the effects of climate change.
