A coordinated approach for Ruahine wild goat control operations has indicated significant reduction in numbers, another step toward achieving zero-density goat populations in Ruahine Forest Park.
The 2025/26 Ruahine Forest Park goat control programme supports ecosystem restoration by reducing wild goat browsing impacts and preventing reinvasion from surrounding farmland. Ground hunting operations were delivered across two primary management blocks between October 2025 and June 2026.
Wild goats heavily browse native plant species, which reduces forest regeneration, weakens ecosystems, and reduces food and habitat for native wildlife.
Ruahine Forest Park covers approximately 93,000 hectares and is hugely important for local wildlife, including habitat for kiwi, whio, Powelliphanta snails, and many native forest bird species.
Dan Tuohy, Operations Advisor at DOC, says the operation focused on maintaining and expanding progress made in previous years, targeting not just goats already within Ruahine Forest Park, but also source populations on adjoining private land buffers.
"The ground hunting programme was highly successful, particularly where intensive buffer control has removed source populations on adjoining farmland," says Dan.
"Wild animals like goats ignore property boundaries so we need to work together and be coordinated to get the best results."
Continued control on neighbouring farmland has proven highly effective at suppressing source populations and reducing reinvasion into the park. Across the programme, a surprisingly low kill rate of 1.29 goats per hunter per day, compared to 5 per day last year, indicates goat densities have been substantially across Ruahine.
"The dramatic reduction in goat encounters and kill rates this year suggests the programme is suppressing populations effectively," Dan says. "Now we just need to keep the momentum going."
