NEW ZEALAND FOREST SERVICE Information Series No. 55 RED DEER LIBERATION POINTS NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND -----MOUNT CAMEL 1912 -----------·-··-----------------PAIHIA 1903 TAURANGA 1912, 15, 16. LAKE ROTO-ITI 1907, 14. 15.16.17. 18, 19, 21 ----->lr----------- LAKE OKATAINA 1916, 17. 19. 22 ----~~---------·---\->> v LAKE OKAREKA 1905. 08.12,13.14. 15, 16, 17, 11! 21 ---1--------------------- TE KUITI 1920, 21 ------- TAUMARANUI 1913. 14, 15, 16, 17. 18, 19, 22 TOKAANU 1911, 12, 14, 1s. 16, 17 -----"=""---------·------ TONGARIRO 1897, 1906 ---F---- RUAPEHU 1906 -----e 1885, 1912, 13, 14, 18, 19, 2\ 23 SOUTH KAIMANAWA 1918, 21-+---------­ EREWHON STATION 1902, 04 -"'"-.---------~ MATAPIRO STATION 1883, 1911 ___, ______ MANGAWEKA -----e • APITI 192l!-------~----~"<:----. §' .; 1 2 2 ~~~~G~~~- 2 t _~~~~~~~-----==~--r--.;p J ---- -MANGATAINOKA 1904 KAHUTERAWA 1901, 02, 03, 18--------;---e r--- ---PAHIATUA 1916, 18, 2:1 SHANNON 1912, 13, 14 ---------+-. ----F---- EKETAHUNA 1904, 07. 09. 11· OHAU 1907, 11, 20----------tG ,.;(:""_-=::=;t_======-=~~~~G~9111063, 98, 19Gq 10 PARAPARAUMU 1899, 1900. 07, oa, 11, 13, 17, 10, 19, 26 "l-'11!;;;--------f-----TARARUA 1887, 9q 1907, 17 ~--iL-------MANGATERERE 1906, 11 ~--1------WAIOHINE 1917, 18 ------TAUHERENIKAU 1906, 07, 11 WELLINGTON ZOOLOGICAL GA.RDENS-~•ine' '"------+---------RIMUTAKA 1895, 96, 1904, 13, 16 1895, 96, 1904, 13, 16 ___ ----------TE AWHAITE 1914, 15 -------------TORA 1916. 17 WAINUl-0-MATA 1897, 98, 1904, 11, 12,19 REFERENCE SCALE OF MILES • GAME PARKS 71 lO llljl .. tlBERATION POINTS 0 MAIN CENTRES Introduction and Establishment of Red Deer in New Zealand By P. C. Logan, Field Inspector, and L. H. Harris, Private Hunting Officer, New Zealand Forest Service .-ral of Forests '::LLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND FOREST SERVICE INFORMATION SERIES NO. 55 O.D.C. 149.6 CervHs elaphus (931): 156.1 Inset 1 Preface The authors list some 220 separate and distinct liberations of red deer (Cervus elaphus), involving more than 820 animals. Even though all known references, including little-known early Government department files, were searched, many liberations, official and otherwise, have undoubtedly escaped recording and may never be traced. Because of inadequate documentation by authorities in the past, only fragmented reports and records now exist. However, the information contained in this booklet should serve as an authoritative basis for future research by others. It is planned to follow this publication with others dealing with the dispersal of red deer, the ecology of the animal, including its impact on the native flora, and a history of past and present control operations. It would help the authors greatly if anyone possessing information on the early red deer herds could get in touch with them. CONTENTS Page Protected to Problem Animal 7 Interest in Red Deer 7 Liberation of Red Deer and Establishment of Herds 8 South Island Liberations 8 I. Nelson Herd 8 2. Langleydale Herd 10 3. Avondale Herd 10 4. Poulter Herd 11 5. Rakaia Herd 11 6. North Canterbury 12 7. Buller Herd 12 8. Greymouth Herd 13 9. Mt. Tuhua Herd 13 10. Lake Kaniere Herd 13 11. Hawea Flat Herd 14 12. Bushey Park Herd 15 13. Wakatipu Herd 15 14. Pomahaka Herd 15 15. Waikaia Herd 16 16. Upper Pomahaka Herd 16 17. Lake Manapouri Herd 16 18. Lake Hauroko Herd 17 19. Lill burn Valley Herd 17 20. Stewart Island Herd 18 21. Fiordland Herd 18 22. Telford's Waiwera Enclosure 19 23. Dunedin Botanical Gardens 19 North Island Liberations 20 24. Auckland .. 20 25. Bay oflslands 20 26. Rangaunu Bay 20 27. Tauranga Acclimatisation Society 20 28. Te Kuiti Herd 21 29. Taumarunui Herd 21 30. Tokaanu Herd 21 31. Tongariro Herd 22 32. Kaimanawa Herd 22 Inset 1* 33. Western Ruahine Herd 22 34. Eastern Ruahine Herd 23 35. Ruahine Reserve Herd 24 36. Galatea Herd 24 37. Lake Rotoiti Herd .. 25 38. Lake Okareka Herd 25 39. Lake Okataina Herd 26 40. Whakatane Herd 26 41. Waimana Gorge Herd 27 42. Te Whaite Herd 27 43. Lake Waikaremoana Herd 27 44. Wairoa Herd 28 45. Mahia Herd 28 46. Wainuiomata Reserve 29 47. Paraparaumu Reserve 29 48. Paraparaumu Game Park 30 49. Wairarapa Herd 32 50. Rimutaka Herd 33 51. Tararua Herd 33 52. East Wairarapa Herd 35 Acknowledgments 36 References 36 Protected to Problem Animal As one of New Zealand's major problem animals, and as the most numerous and widespread of the recognised trophy animals, the red deer holds some interest for virtually all New Zealanders. From our attempt to record the introduction, establishment, and spread of red deer it has become plain that an extremely versatile animal was introduced-one cap­ able of adapting to a wide range of habitat and one which has extended its range despite man's attempts at control. During the past century red deer have been fostered, protected, and persecuted. Early legislation encouraged their liberation, spread, and increase without thought of the consequences, but over the last 30 years they have been slaughtered in tens of thousands each year. Interest in Deer During the mid-nineteenth century the keeping of deer in private parks became very popular in England. Ecomonic and social conditions favoured this hobby and many a well-to-do Victorian "fortified his sense of social standing by possessing a deer park" (Whitehead, 1950). Quite naturally, therefore, the newly arrived landowner-pioneer in New Zealand set about emulating his kinsman at "Home". However, in the young, under popu­ lated colony of New Zealand there was abundant scope for doing things on a bigger scale and deer parks were rarely attempted, because it was much easier, and more impressive, to establish "deer forests". The first introductions of deer were gifts from the "Old Country" park owners to their kinsmen or friends in the new colony. This close relation­ ship between donor and receiver is well known and some instances, such as Lord Petre's gifts, are documented by Donne (1924)*. Donne writes: "When the historian delves amongst the correspondence concerning the infancy of New Zealand he may perhaps find the name of the man who prompted the introduction of red deer into Wellington and Canterbury districts". On the introduction of Scottish deer, Donne comments: "The fact that someone had exchanged correspondence with 'Lord Panmure's keeper' on the subject of deer for New Zealand several years before their shipment, indicates, I think, that the New Zealander had some knowledge oflnvermark. In all probability he was a Forfarshire man". *Donne, T. E. "The Game Animals of New Zealand". 7 In similar vein, Donne records that "Lord Petre, of Thorndon Hall, Essex, at the instance of the Hon W. E. Petre, who was then a settler in Nelson, presented a stag and a hind in 1850". (Lord Petre also sent deer to Nelson in 1861.) He mentions also that "H.R.H. The Prince Consort, in 1853, through Lord John Russell, the Royal Ranger, presented from the Royal Park at Richmond, a stag and hind"; that in 1862 " ... six red deer, two stags and four hinds, which were presented to the people of New Zealand by the late Prince Consort", were shipped to New Zealand; and further that: "In 1870 seventeen red deer calves were presented to the Acclimatisation Society of Dunedin from Invermark Forest, Forfarshire, Scotland, by the eleventh Earl of Dalhousie." Liberation of Red Deer and Establishment of Herds In assembling data on the liberation and establishment of red deer in New Zealand one is hampered by lack of continuity and both by repetition and omissions in the records. Knowledge of unauthorised liberations of captured calves is difficult to obtain. The section on liberations therefore cannot be considered complete; much remains to be done in tracking down the exact locations of official liberations, in checking acclimatisation societies' records to find the source of deer liberated, and in gathering local information on unrecorded or illegal liberations. Often we could find no record of the liberation or eventual fate of deer known to have been held by acclimatisation societies. This was probably often a deliberate omission to avoid poaching. Despite the limitations referred to, the record of liberations given here is the result of intensive research and is thought to provide a substantially accurate picture of the establishment of all the herds with which it deals. As liberations began in the South Island, liberations there will be listed first. SOUTH ISLAND LIBERATIONS 1. Nelson Herd (Nelson Hills) Liberations-1851: One stag from Lord' Petre's herd, Thorndon Hall, Essex; a hind shipped at the same time died en route (Donne, 1924). 1854: One stag from Royal Richmond Park; again a hind died en route (Donne, 1924). 1861 : One stag and two hinds from Thorndon Hall (Donne, 1924). 1899: One Otago stag (Donne, 1924). 1903: Two Wairarapa stags (Wellington Acc. Soc. records). 1910: Three Warnham Court (Sussex) stags (Donne, 1924). 1922: One two-year-old Warnham Court stag from the Paraparaumu Game Park (Nelson Acc. Soc. records). Establishment-There is some difference between Donne and Thomson* as *Thomson, Hon. G. M. "The Naturalisation of Plants and Animals in New Zealand". 8 New Zealand's Most Historic Red Deer Head N.Z. Forest Service (J.H. Johns, A .R.P.S.) This is the controversial "Petre head'', purported to be from one of the first three stags released in New Zealand (Nelso n) between l 851 and l 86 1. Whether or not the antlers are from the 185 1, 1854, or 186 1 stags wi ll probably never be completely confirmed. T . E. Donne records that the skeleton was fo und near the Dun Mountains, Nelson, about 1874. The head was subsequently mounted with a skin from a Wairarapa stag and displayed at many ex hibitions.