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Story: Hunting

Bull tahr

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Bull tahr

Himalayan tahr were introduced to the central Southern Alps in the 1900s for game hunting. They have done so well in the mountains that they are a major pest in subalpine and alpine ecosystems. They feed on native tussock grasses and herbs, and trample vegetation. Ecologists have called for the eradication of tahr from New Zealand’s national parks and reserves, but this has been opposed by recreational hunters.

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by Gordon Roberts

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How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Hunting – Imported game animals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15618/bull-tahr (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 1 March 2009.