The Goat Cull – 2007-2008The world-wide response to the New Zealand's Department of Conservation proposal to cull Arapawa goats – internationally recognized as rare and unique – on their reserve land on Arapawa Island in 2007-2008, has been very well covered on Mary Critchley's Warmwell Website. Rather than repeat much the same thing here, albeit from a different perspective, assembled below are a few selected statements from various people – 'personalized' with a few photos. The goat supporters' opposition to this proposed cull was outlined in a message from Betty Rowe, which was distributed by DAD-Net, an Internet forum operated by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the United Nations: 
There is, in New Zealand, an island located at the top of the South Island called Arapawa. On this island are the remnants of animals left by early whalers, sealers, flax gatherers, settlers and perhaps the good Captain Cook himself. They have survived in isolation until recent times and carry the genes of antique breeds of goats, sheep and pigs, all of scientific and historical significance. I have lived amongst these animals for over 35 years and have struggled to bring them to the attention of the New Zealand government, so that some sort of protection could be afforded them. We stand in danger of losing the genetic diversity of these heritage breeds unless some pressure can be brought to bear upon the policies of the NZ government which seems not to have taken genetic preservation into its overall conservation ethic. New Zealand history books relate that Captain James Cook released various breeds of animals in and around the area in question as gifts for the Maori people or as a potential source of food for shipwreck survivors. Some of the historical records tell of the release of goats onto Arapawa Island itself back in 1777. There is a further reference to goats on the island in the year 1839, by Edward Jerningham Wakefield of the New Zealand Company. He writes: "...the children of the settlement were as active and hardy as the goats with which the settlement swarmed". Given that only a few goats would have been released by Captain Cook, who placed them in "an inaccessible corner of East Bay", they may have taken to the forest and could be described as "swarming" by the time Wakefield saw them at Te Awaiti, a whaling station situated on Arapawa Island. Many who knew the English Goat have written saying the goats "are almost indescribable from the original breed" and "the last link with this breed." Indeed they closely resemble the English Goat and it is known that Cook brought goats from England, although he may have acquired goats on his voyage; this we do not dispute. Numerous references are made by historians to the fact that Captain Cook brought, among the other animals, goats and these were reportedly left on Arapawa Island. These goats are not in great numbers and only occupy a small portion of the 17,000 acres of Arapawa Island. The New Zealand Department of Conservation is planning a cull very soon of goats outside of the Sanctuary my late husband and I have established. The fact that dogs are in the planning surely denotes that the numbers are low and the goats need to be flushed out. It is also a time when the does have young at foot as the Arapawa does give birth usually May, June, July with a few arriving later. We are endeavouring to get the government to address the historic significance of these animals, and also to ensure the newborn babies have a chance to mature before any killing takes place, in order that they might survive should their mothers be killed. Introduced species in New Zealand are in a perilous situation with policies that call for extermination in all cases regardless of their potential value. We have the only herd of Thar in the Southern hemisphere which is being systematically wiped out. The methods used are cruel and lacking in compassion, and the now recognised demand world wide for animal welfare to be taken into consideration. The poison 1080 is being spread over this "clean, green country" supposedly to be rid of the possum, but it kills many other species as well and it is a most cruel death and has many secondary deaths associated with it, i.e. birds, insects, ground creatures. The Arapawa Goats are found in small numbers in England and a larger group in the United States, but the world wide number of these animals, both male and female, would be under 500, so each one is precious. The Arapawa Wild Sheep, although listed as rare, are gaining ground, slowly, while the Arapawa Pigs and the Arapawa Goats are running a losing battle. The following message, which presumably reflects the Department of Conservation's stance, was sent by an External Relations officer in their Head Office to a goat breeder in Northern Ireland when she protested at the proposed shooting in August 2007: Goats are not native to New Zealand. No mammals are native to New Zealand. We are an island of birds - Fantastic birds... So if we are looking to retain some of our original vegetaion and wildlife (unlike Britain)then doing nothing about pests is not an option. The presence of goats in certain situations compromises the natural values of New Zealands fauna and flora. The goats are wild, over populated and out of control. No one wants the goats, no one cares for the goats, the goats are in plague proportions and are extremely destructive. Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island is slowly recovering from more than a century of abuse as poor farming practices are stopped and the benefits of retaining some native vegetation becomes more apparent.Goats do not help this. Without major predators in the New Zaeland landscape, humans must take responsibility for human induced changes - The introduction of goats is one of those things. Where conservation values are compromised, the Department of Conservation has to take action in priority areas...Hard choices are made and we err on the side of native biodiversity. Reduction in goat numbers improves the recovery rate for native vegetation which supports native birds and lizards and invertebrates I am sure if you came to New Zealand you could take any number of goats home to Northern Ireland. The mainland is not short of them, they are the curse of hill country farmers and conservationists alike. Goat culling is a fact of life for all rural communities in New Zealand and a minor cull on an island in the Marlborough Sounds is beneficial to that community The only market for the goats has been in the past where shiploads of live goats were sent to the middle east for the meat trade. I am unsure if that barbaric practice continues - I do not think it was particularly profitable. As might be expected the recipient of this distributed it to a number of other people. One of them, Michael Willis, the Managing Director of Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, a Director of Rare Breeds International, and a committee member of the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand, wrote to the External Relations officer thus: 
I consider that your reply is rather patronising, and also rather ignorant. It is also biased and dated. The NZ Govt is a signatory to the 'Rio Convention', which is to protect genetic diversity. Your government and Minister are obliged by that to ensure that these genetics are not lost. As a spokesperson for the 'External Relations Group' of DOC, they are not appropriate. Your reference to NZ being a land of birds is quite right but does not reflect the situation today. If everybody including the Maoris were removed from NZ, then undoubtedly the country as a whole would be a better place. However NZ will never be a land of just birds again, and in today's world we need to accept that, and appreciate some of our history and heritage. To do that we need to manage our resources and not jump to self proclaimed judgements. Many of the genetic imports into NZ (both plant and animal) have proven to be of immense value. Your comments reflect a shallowness of opinion and a lack of understanding on those issues. The Arapawa goats are not over populated and out of control. Nor are they of 'plague proportions.' It is not true that 'no one wants them', nor is it true that 'no one cares for them.' They occupy a fraction of the Island, are a remote remnant of the past, and the population has remained pretty static in the past thirty odd years that I have been associated with them. There is no disputing the fact that pest animals have to be managed, and yet your response gives no consideration to that. The D.O.C has in the past been responsible for what could be considered some 'over exuberant culling', but recently has shown a more balanced view. Your response however does not do that, and by so doing does your department little justice, in what is now an International Arena concerned with AnGR. Somewhat ironically, it was a media release by the New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association on 23 December 2007 that informed the general public of the proposed cull, at that time planned for January 2008: DOC set to wipe out unique Arapawa Goats New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association (NZDA) has joined the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand in opposing DOC's proposed destruction of the unique Arapawa Island goat breed early in the New Year. The Arapawa Island goats are a recognised unique breed, almost certainly released there by Captain James Cook on 2 June 1773. Only a few are left on the island now. "It is distressing that DOC had chosen the holiday period to carry out a Search and Destroy mission on Arapawa Island with the intention of wiping out this historic herd" NZDA spokesman Dr Hugh Barr said. "New Zealand's historic introduced biodiversity is as important to us as our native biodiversity under the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity. It is the basis of our agriculture, the industry on which most of our wealth as a nation depends. Very few native species have commercial value." "Yet we have the Department of Conservation paranoid about exterminating anything introduced to the country, irrespective of the Rio Convention on Biodiversity that New Zealand is a signatory to. If the Kaimanawa Wild Horse herd can be recognised, then surely DOC has a duty to recognise this rare herd, now extinct in England," Dr Barr said. NZDA is calling for the Government to halt DOC's extermination mission, and give due recognition to the very high historic significance of this rare breed, and as well, recognise them under the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity. Worldwide response was immediate. People began writing to New Zealand's Minister of Conservation and to others whom they thought might be influential. Within a few days Pat Van Alstyne in the United States started an international petition at www.thepetitionsite.com/1/arapawa-goats. And on 1 January 2008 the Chairman of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (United Kingdom), Peter Titley, wrote to New Zealand's Prime Minister: 
I am Chairman of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) founded in the UK in 1973. Over the past thirty or more years RBST has established an international reputation for its pioneering conservation work across the range of farm animal species and my organisation is respected in governmental and academic circles well beyond the shores of the UK. It is with dismay that during this holiday season I have become aware of plans to shoot a significant proportion of Arapawa goats on that island and I consider it my duty as a committed conservationist to urge you and your government to reconsider these plans. It is clear that this goat is a genetically unique example within the species and its development within Arapawa over some 200 years provides a reservoir of genetic material which is irreplaceable. A breed with two centuries of development in an enclosed environment has rarity value which qualifies for protection as an historic breed under the Rio Convention on World Biodiversity. Whatever its pre-Arapawa origins this animal is now inescapably part of New Zealand and world heritage and the scientific studies of this breed deserve full consideration and in themselves are sufficient grounds for this proposed cull to be called off. DNA analysis of these animals was undertaken by D. P. Sponenberg, DVM, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Genetics, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and the work was carried out at the University of Cordoba. The results support their unique genetic status and as such they deserve protection rather than persecution and destruction. Taking a political stand against this plan will not be easy but it should fall well within the mission statement of your Conservation Department – namely: "to conserve New Zealand's natural and historic heritage for all to enjoy now and in the future – ko ta Te Papa Atawhai he whakaute he tiaki i nga taonga koiora me nga taonga tuku iho hei painga mo te katoa inaianei, mo ake tonu ake. Stopping the cull will send a significant signal about the value which the modern world places on its livestock heritage. Conversely, if the cull goes ahead as planned it will send a louder and less welcome message to future generations. The international petition quickly gained signatures – and comments – from around the world. The Chairman of the European Livestock Association, Peter King, wrote: 
As Chairman of the European Livestock Association (ELA) and as a member of its Genetic Resources committee, I am adding my name to this petition. Though NZ is way out of our territory I felt we had to add our response. This proposed cull of these important/unique animals goes against all global policies of genetic conservation and cannot be justified on any grounds. At the very least the animals could be collected and relocated in a sensible way. If the cull goes ahead, I firmly believe that the consequences for the reputation of New Zealand will be far reaching and long lasting. Not the kind of benchmark I would have thought necessary or desirable for a country famous for its flora and fauna? Please reconsider. A fairly standard reply seems to have been sent out by the Minister of Conservation, the Hon. Steve Chadwick, in response to those who wrote to her. Here is an example (rather more literate and diplomatic than the first Departmental reply given here!): 
The primary role of the department is the management of public lands and protection of the native plants and animals, under its care. Browsing mammals were introduced to New Zealand by European settlers, and have had a devastating effect on our vegetation, which had evolved in isolation over the past 65 million years. Until people settled these islands less than 1000 years ago, the only land-based mammals were two species of bat. The impact of browsing mammals is so great that the department has to devote a significant part of its work to addressing the problem. The consequent loss of vegetation also impacts on the habitat and food supply for our native birds. The scenic reserve area on Arapawa Island is recognised as nationally significant because of the forest communities and plant species present. These are remnants of previously more widely spread Cook Strait forest communities that only survive today in a few areas. It is even more significant due to the lack of possums on the island, which have a devastating effect on the forests on mainland areas. Because of this a large part of the reserve has been fenced and an active programme has been under way to control goats and pigs elsewhere within the reserve. Much of the reserve remains unfenced as it is neither practical nor affordable to completely do so. Some commentators have disputed that goats are having an impact, but anyone visiting the fenced area of the reserve will see that this clearly is not the case, and that dramatic improvements to the vegetation have occurred where goats have been removed. Similarly, comments have been made that my department's aim is to 'eradicate', 'exterminate' or 'wipe out' the goats. This is also not correct. It is clear that there is still a viable breeding population of the goats on private land on the island and there are a number of breeding locations within the United States, Britain and here in New Zealand. The department has taken the issue of rarity into account but it is not part of its role to protect these introduced species. It is more appropriate that this occurs on private land. Whilst it is always regrettable that any animals have to be controlled in such a manner it is an unfortunate necessity to protect the natural indigenous values of the island for the people of New Zealand. I hope that this has helped clarify the issue for you. In March 2008 Charles Bassett, the Executive Director of the American Livestock Conservancy, wrote to New Zealand's Prime Minister: The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is a United States non-profit (501c3) organization that works to protect genetic diversity in farm animals through conservation and promotion of endangered breeds. In that capacity, I am writing to express our disappointment with regard to the planned cull by shooting of the feral Arapawa goats that still remain on Arapawa Island, which is located north of South Island, New Zealand. These goats are clearly unique among goats, as confirmed by DNA evidence (Amparo Martínez Martínez, University of Cordoba), and are therefore of specific conservation interest as genetic resources. In its conservation work, ALBC has been able to develop effective working relationships with natural conservation groups as we jointly pondered what to do with the very real problem of feral livestock and endangered native flora and fauna. All parties have been able to agree that truly unique feral populations, such as the Arapawa goat, deserve conservation on their own merits. In some cases it has been possible to manage the population in situ, e.g. Shakleford Island horses, a strain of the Colonial Spanish horse, while in others conservationists have worked to assure that a sufficient number of living representatives have been removed from fragile locations in order to guarantee genetic viability of an ex situ population, e.g. Hog Island sheep and San Clemente goats. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy strongly encourages you to work with conservation experts and regional breed stewards to develop conservation strategies for the Arapawa goat that will assure its continuation as a viable genetic resource. Highly adapted populations, like the Arapawa, take centuries to develop, but only hours to destroy. We respectfully ask you to reconsider your decision. Back at home in New Zealand great political support came from Independent MP Gordon Copeland. He presented a copy of the International Petition organized by Pat Van Alstyne containing 1215 signatures to Parliament on 4 March 2008. He also questioned the Minister of Conservation in Parliament as to whether her Department was still proposing to proceed with the cull, and if so, when and how. The Minister replied: 
"Yes. The regular operation to control the goats that were introduced to Arapawa Island will happen later this month. We do this to protect rare native forest and threatened plant species in a scenic reserve on that island."... "The cull will be carried out by operators who will be contracted by the Department of Conservation to work the island on foot." Gordon Copeland then asked: "Is the Minister aware that DNA testing shows that the Arapawa goats are a genetically distinct breed, that they are descendants of goats left on the island by James Cook in, probably, 1773, and that they are almost certainly Old English Goats, which became extinct in England in 1954; if so, does she accept that we have a solemn obligation in terms of the guardianship, the kaitiaki, of these beautiful and unique animals for all future generations?" To which the Minister replied: "I have been advised that that has not been proven in New Zealand yet, and this breed is not threatened in this country." Gordon Copeland: "Is the Minister aware that 1,215 concerned citizens of the international community have signed a petition, which has been presented to Parliament today, opposing the shooting of the Arapawa goats; that shooting them is opposed by Bob Kerridge of the SPCA, Betty Rowe, who is a long-time resident of the island, the Deerstalkers Association, the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand, and many others; and that the cull is in breech of the Rio Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources; and will she therefore commit now to put away the guns and, instead, adopt a preservation plan for this unique and wonderful species?" Minister's reply: "I repeat that this species is not threatened in New Zealand. The Department of Conservation works actively with the community on Arapawa Island on the annual operation to cull the goats. And I am aware of the petition presented today." Gordon Copeland then tabled appropriate supporting documents, and later wrote to the Minister of Conservation seeking dialogue and cooperation, with the object of creating a "win-win" situation which could both secure the survival of the goats and at the same time minimise the damage to the flora. A number of other people have also written to her about her reported comments. The following media statement was made by the Department of Conservation on 25 March 2008: The Department of Conservation will delay its planned control of goats on Arapawa Island Scenic Reserve for the protection of the reserve's distinctive native vegetation to allow goat supporters time to first capture and take away goats. DOC Sounds Area Manager Roy Grose said DOC would delay its control of goats on the reserve until after October and goat advocates would be given until 1 September to take goats away provided they first came up with an acceptable capture plan for the goats. "Our goat control programme on the Arapawa Island Scenic Reserve is needed to protect the reserve's important remnant Cook Strait forest communities and plant species which today only survive in a few places," Mr Grose said. "This native vegetation is shaped by the distinctive climate of the Cook Strait narrows - wind, humidity and salt spray - combined with rugged and spectacular topography." "Goats, and also pigs have a significant impact on this native vegetation if left unchecked. In part of the reserve that is fenced and protected from goats and pigs there is impressive re-growth of understory shrubs and trees transforming into more natural, healthy forest. Seedlings are now abundant whereas before the forest floor was almost bare of new growth due to grazing by goats and pig rooting. "There is little fencing between private land and most of the reserve, goats and pigs regularly spill over into the reserve from the private land. Consequently in these parts of the reserve goat and pig damage to the native vegetation is still occurring and control is needed to reduce their numbers to low levels. "Control of goats on the scenic reserve was started by the then New Zealand Forest Service in 1978 and was continued by the Department of Conservation when it was formed in 1987. Control of goats and pigs on the reserve has taken place generally on a yearly basis since then. "We intend to go ahead with our goat and pig control on the reserve this year but we have informed Betty Rowe, who lives on the island and runs the Arapawa Wildlife Trust, that we will allow her and other goat advocates opportunity first to capture and take away goats provided they meet certain conditions." Mr Grose said the conditions included providing by 30 April a capture plan that met with the department's approval. Arapawa Island Scenic Reserve is a rugged area which faces directly into Cook Strait and the plan would need to demonstrate their ability to carry out capture and removal of goats, include a health and safety plan, and state the methods to be used and where the goats were to be relocated. "We would need to be satisfied the goats were to be moved to locations where they wouldn't be able to roam onto the reserve and we would prefer they are put in fenced private properties off the island. Protection of the goats is best achieved by people who value them holding them on private land. "We believe we are being fair and reasonable in allowing goat advocates this time and opportunity to take goats away. We have endeavoured all along to be fair and reasonable with them and all islanders over our goat control programme while ensuring that we do take the necessary action to protect and preserve the island's distinctive native vegetation on the scenic reserve." An important document has been written by the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand's Legal Advisor, Simon Reeves, in the form of a letter to the Minister of Conservation, Steve Chadwick. In it, Mr Reeves detailed the case for protecting and preserving the gene bases of all the endangered native and other species of mammals in New Zealand – with special reference to the Arapawa goats – and clarified the Government's responsibilities under the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity 1992. This letter is too long to include here but is available at Letter to Minister. The following notes were supplied by Hon. Gordon Copeland on his meeting with the Minister of Conservation, Hon Steve Chadwick, Wednesday 9 April 2008: 1. I thanked the Minister for the temporary reprieve granted to the goats until September. 2. I outlined to the Minister the "big picture" in relation to this issue. I outlined how the DNA testing by Dr Sponenberg at the University of Cordoba in Spain has revealed that this herd is unique amongst goats and is likely to have descended from the Old English Goat which became extinct in 1954. 3. This is all set out in Simon Reeve's letter to the Minister of 12 March. In particular, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity of 1992 and the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources of September 2007 confirm that New Zealand has an obligation to the preservation of this unique breed. In any event, this should happen because they are a wonderful part of New Zealand's natural history. Accordingly the goats should be given sanctuary and valued, not exterminated. This is part of our stewardship responsibility and has been exercised elsewhere in respect of the Pitt Island Sheep, the Kaimanawa Horses and the Fiordland Wapiti. 4. In response to these initial comments, the DOC representatives at the meeting (Nelson Conservator, and Marlborough Regional Manager) insisted that their obligation is to preserve the most sensitive areas of flora on Arapawa Island and that they have a statutory duty to carry out in that regard. They have made a great effort to fence off that area of the island. 5. In response, I suggested to the Minister that this is a situation which requires a "whole of government" approach since, in this particular situation, we have two competing "public goods". One is the long term preservation of the most sensitive areas of flora on the island and the other is the preservation of a unique breed of goats. The Minister signalled her general agreement with me on that point. However the DOC representatives said that they were not convinced that the Arapawa goats are in fact a unique breed because no studies have been undertaken to compare their DNA with that of similar goats on the mainland. 6. In response, I made the point that science is able to solve those questions for us. If doubt exists about the uniqueness of the breed, then DNA studies should be undertaken, and likewise a scientific approach should be adopted in relation to the flora on the island; for, in a similar way, it needs to be determined whether there is anything unique about the Arapawa flora. We should let the science guide us. 7. Accordingly I suggested to Minister Chadwick that the Minister of Agriculture, Jim Anderton, could also have a role to play in establishing an acceptable outcome. She agreed with that point and undertook to advance it by way of initial discussions with Mr Anderton. 
8. I then suggested that a practical way forward would be to combine a DOC/MAF initiative which would work with Betty Rowe and the others on the Island to bring together a plan for both the long term preservation of the goats and the protection of the sensitive areas of flora. The Minister seemed receptive to the concept. This was followed by a Press Release from Gordon Copeland, dated 29 May 2008, as follows: Independent MP Gordon Copeland today expressed his deep disappointed that the Minister of Conservation has, once again, ruled out the possibility of the Arapawa goat herd being allowed to remain on conservation land. He was responding to a letter received this week from Minister, Steve Chadwick. "This letter does not follow through on the tenor of the discussions which I held with the Minister on 9 April 2008," said Mr Copeland. "At that stage the Minister indicated her willingness to work with the Minister of Agriculture Jim Anderton, who has a portfolio responsibility for rare breeds, with a view of developing a 'whole of Government' solution to the ongoing national and international controversy concerning the preservation of this unique breed of beautiful goats. "The inflexibility now displayed by the Minister is simply incomprehensible. It is possible that the Arapawa goats have descended directly from a breeding pair left on the island by Captain James Cook. They are therefore a beautiful part of New Zealand's natural history. "In these circumstances I am baffled at the intransigence which has been shown by the Department of Conservation around this issue. Indeed I believe their attitude is actually contrary to the Conservation Act itself which defines "conservation" as "the preservation and protection of natural and historic resources for the purpose of maintaining their intrinsic values, providing for their appreciation and recreational enjoyment by the public, and safe guarding the options of future generations." "They seem to disregard entirely the reality that this breed of goats is a natural and historic resource worthy of protecting and safe guarding for future generations. I find this attitude both arrogant and ignorant in the extreme. "It is also deeply disappointing that the Minister has chosen to convey her decision to me in such blunt terms just eight days after the death of Betty Rowe who devoted some 30 years of her life to providing a sanctuary for these goats. The simple fact of the matter is that there is plenty of room within the DoC estate on Arapawa Island both to safe guard this breed of goats for future generations and to preserve the biodiversity of the regenerating flora which, in any event, is completely fenced off from the grazing area of the goats." 
One commentator has described Warmwell as "an indispensable part of the debate about animal health and welfare and the treatment of epidemics as well as the behaviour of various officials. That the debate is so wide is largely thanks to Mary's indefatigable efforts." There remain some serious questions about such things as the number of goats occupying DoC's land and outside it, why the special vegetation that survived for so long is now under threat, the practicalities of rescuing and rehoming goats, the timing of the cull in respect to kidding, the Government's attitude to the Rio Convention, and the management for survival of the goats, including those already off the island. See also TV3 Video about the cull, and Arapawa Goat News for an update. |
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