New Zealand is faced with many wildlife problems, the greatest of which is probably one of control. Unlike many other countries New Zealand suffers from an overabundance rather than a lack of game animals. The introduction of browsing animals such as deer, rabbit, and the Australian opossum, exposed to browsing a type of vegetation which had not previously been subjected to such treatment and which was not adapted to it. The browsing habits of these animals interrupted and in some cases hindered the regrowth of native forests and damaged tussock grassland. The deterioration of vegetative cover in turn accelerated erosion and so indirectly affected the country's economy. None of the introduced mammals is protected. All the game mammals are regarded as noxious animals and may be hunted all the year round without a licence. New Zealand's wildlife problems are handled by many Government organisations; privately administered acclimatisation societies also have certain administrative responsibilities. New Zealand is possibly the only country in the world where the administration and control of wildlife is not the sole responsibility of the Government. Government organisations and Departments with responsibilities for research, management, and control of wildlife are the Rabbit Destruction Council, the Wildlife Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs, the Fisheries Branch of the Marine Department, the Animal Ecology Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Protection Forestry Division of the New Zealand Forest Service, the Department of Lands and Survey, and the Department of Agriculture. Several private organisations also have a direct or indirect interest in various forms of wildlife. These include the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, rod and gun clubs, and the Deerstalkers' Association.

The history of acclimatisation in New Zealand is an interesting one. In the numerous acclimatisation experiments, from early settlement days, very little thought was given to the possible effects of introductions. The introduction of species is now strictly controlled and it is difficult to introduce new species, although the importation by the Government and acclimatisation societies in 1959 of the common partridge in an attempt to establish a new game bird shows that it is not impossible. While there is no doubt that the introduction of certain animals has had a deleterious effect on indigenous flora and fauna, it must be remembered that several introduced species have proved of value for one reason or another; for example, the humble bee, certain small insectivorous birds, and trout. When the wildlife established in New Zealand today is compared with that prior to the arrival of the white man, it will be realised that some good has been accomplished. But the damage caused by an overabundance of game mammals poses a serious problem, which is scarcely balanced by the pleasure hundreds of young men derive from the outdoor recreation. We, today, enjoy the benefits of the early successes of acclimatisation; we have also inherited the problems which have arisen from the mistakes made.

by Janet Fay Swann, M.A., formerly of Wildlife Branch, Department of Internal Affairs.

• The Naturalisation of Animals and Plants in New Zealand, Thomson, G. M. (1886)
• Introduced Mammals of New Zealand, Wodzicki, K. A. (1950)
• Trout Fisheries in New Zealand. Their Development and Management, Hobbs, D. F. (1948)