Goats

Early European explorers released goats in New Zealand so they would have something to eat when they came back. Later, once settlement went into full swing, more goats were brought in, for their wool and to control weeds when land was cleared. As with many of New Zealand’s pest species, they like it here and, today, an estimated few hundred thousand feral goats can be across about 15 percent of the country, including in our national parks. They can be hunted in our national parks, and DOC actively controls feral goats, especially in areas where rare native species are at risk.