Invasive Species
Of New Zealand
C ats were introduced
by Captain Cook,
whalers, sealers, and
rabbit-overrun farmers.
They’re terrific predators.
They’re widely blamed for
causing the extinction of
six native bird species.
D ogs were originally
introduced during
the Maori Great
Migration in 1350.
They’re have been known
to attack native birds,
including the moa.
P igs were introduced
by early explorers
during the late 1700s.
Gone wild, pigs tear up
forest floor and pasture,
and eat surface-dwelling
animals like weta. With
up to 40 pigs per square
kilometer of bush, they
consumer fare that would
otherwise have fallen to
native species.
R abbits were released
by settlers and
prospectors during the
early 19th century for
food and sport hunting.
Rabbits reached plague
proportions later that
same century, displacing
sheep populations and
causing widespread
damage to soil
and pasture.
F erret-polecat hybrids
were introduced
by farmers in the late
1870’s to control the
previously introduced
rabbit population.
Unfortunately, they also
took nicely to our native
bird population.
S toats, like ferrets,
were introduced
to control a rampant
rabbit population in the
late 19th century. Upon
introduction, stoats spread
immediately to the bush.
Along with cats and rats,
stoats contributed to the
extinctions of huia, bush
wrens, native thrushes,
laughing owls and quails,
and mainland stitchbirds,
saddlebacks, kakapo and
little spotted kiwi.
P ossums, introduced
from Australia by
European settlers hoping
to establish a fur trade,
have reached plague
proportions in New
Zealand. They damage
strip native trees and kill
wildlife, and are known to
carry a tuberculosis that
affects cows.
G oats were
liberated into the
Marlborough Sounds for
milk and meat by Captain
Cook on his second
voyage in 1773. Goats go
feral almost as easily as
cats. Large populations
of feral goats have had
a significant impact on
native shrubs and trees.
H edgehogs were
introduced into the
South Island in 1885 to
control garden insects.
Because they have
no natural predators,
hedgehogs have
prospered. They cause
immense damage to
native species, including
lizards, snails, insects, and
ground-nesting
birds eggs.
D eer were introduced
to New Zealand
in the mid 19th century,
seven species in all. While
deer is a great export
earner for New Zealand,
wild deer have caused
great environmental
damage, destroying
regenerating native
forests, accelerating soil
erosion, and increasing
river run-off.
R ats, or kiore, were
first introduced with
the Polynesian migrations
1250-1300AD, usurped
by Norway rats from
the ships of the early
explorers, and bolstered
by ship rats that arrived
with Europeans in the late
19th century. Rats have
caused the extinction of
several species of native
bird, as well as native
frogs and mainland
tuatara.
M ice, an
unintentional
introduction, are
omnivorous scavengers.
They’re known for
destroying food stock, and
fouling water mains.
W asps arrived in
New Zealand in
1945, no one is quite
sure how. Since then,
they’ve reached plague
proportions. As well as
eating rare native insects,
wasps consume up to 90
per cent of South Island
beech forest honeydew,
depriving native birds,
bats, lizards, and insects
of a key summer
food source.
T rout, brown from
England in the
1860’s and rainbow
from California, were
introduced throughout
New Zealand for fishing.
Their arrival displaced
and endangered upland
native fish species.
R udd, were introduced
for fishing, alongside
gambusia, grass carp, and
others. They’re a noxious
fish in most areas of New
Zealand because their
feeding habits endanger
native plants and remove
food sources for native fish
and invertebrates.
G rass carp, introduced
accidentally with
goldfish, feed like a
vacuum cleaner. They
suck up everything
and blow out what’s
not wanted, dislodging
aquatic plants and
ruining the habitat of
native fish, invertebrates,
and waterfowl.
G ambusia were
introduced alongside
rudd in the 1930’s.
Gambusia attack the eyes
and fins of native fish, eat
their eggs, and compete
for the same food 52-infographics.blogspot.com
sources. Design by Gareth Parry
Data from Wikipedia, Te Ara (The
Encyclopedia of New Zealand), and
the Department of Conservation
Week #26 20110111