H—22

(4) Stewart Island Active measures were pursued towards the eradication of rabbits, which were illegally liberated on Stewart Island and had increased and spread to such an extent as to give cause for the gravest concern for the welfare of the flora of the island. There are now grounds for believing that this pest has been entirely removed from the main island (Stewart Island), but the utmost vigilance will be maintained and stepstaken to eradicate them from a small off-shore island which still remains infested. Steps were taken to deal with a colony of German owls, known enemies of small native birds, and intensive trapping has, it is believed, resulted in their eradication. (5) Animal Pests destroyed The numbers of animals during the financial year ended 31st March, 1946, showing the zones of operations in which they were destroyed and the numbers of each species, are set forth in the following tables :

Table A. —Numbers destroyed in each Zone of Operations during the Financial Year 1st April, 1945, to 31st March, 1946

Table B. —Numbers of each Species destroyed in the Financial and Operational Years

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Area of Operations. Deer. Chamois. Goats. Pigs. Totals. North Island Urewera country Kaimanawa Ranges Ruahine Ranges Tararua Ranges • 928 1,686 303 398 59 569 196 139 255 50 9 1,067 2,100 922 603 South Island Otago .. .. South Westland Southland Stewart Island 1,036 1,471 2,366 351 3 1 16 •• 46 1,039 1,472 2,428 351 Totals 8,539 20 824 599 9,983

Species. Financial Year, 1st April, 1945, to 31st March, 1946. Operational Year, 1st June, 1944, to 31st May, 1945. Red deer (Cervus elephas) 8,433 9,389 Fallow deer (Mazama dama) 1,368 Virginian deer (Cervus virginianus) 106 170 Chamois (Rupicapra tragus) 20 22 Wild goats 824 2,307 Wild pigs 599 330 Wild cats* 57 38 Rabbits* 144 47 * Stewart Island only.