Media release
7 October 2010
 
TB possum control around Lake Hayes a success
 
Over the past three weeks, the Animal Health Board (AHB) has successfully conducted extensive possum trapping around the Lake Hayes area to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis (TB).
 
The bulk of the possum trapping was undertaken around Slopehill, Dalefield, the Lake Hayes shoreline and the Shotover River bank. Otago Pest Services Limited (OPSL) carried out the work.
 
Jim Hughes, of OPSL, said possum numbers were high along the riverbank, but relatively low across the rest of the area. About 100 possums were caught in total.
 
“The results of the trapping operation indicate that possum numbers in the area were more or less what we had expected Importantly, though, it was encouraging to see possum densities have remained low across farmland areas,” Mr Hughes said.
 
Scientific analysis currently links 70 per cent of new herd infections to wildlife, particularly possums. Reducing possum numbers to low levels decreases the risk of the disease being passed onto farmed cattle and deer.
 
Local farmer and Otago TBfree Committee member Phill Hunt has expressed his thanks to residents of Lake Hayes for their support during the operation.
 
“TB control is an important issue in the Queenstown Lakes and wider Central Otago areas,” Mr Hunt said.
 
“It is great to see the residents of Lake Hayes support this phase of possum control and assist in eradicating TB from the area. Numerous environmental benefits also stem from an operation of this kind.”
 
TB was first diagnosed in cattle on the Crown Terrace in the 1990s and has since been found in deer herds and the wild animal population in the Wakatipu Basin.
 
The AHB is seeking to eradicate the disease through livestock TB testing, strict movement controls and investment in possum and other pest control. These methods help maintain buffer zones which prevent infected wild animals from spreading into TB-free areas.
 
Possum control around the Crown Terrace and Arrow River areas will continue for the next four weeks. Public areas in which possum control has been undertaken are clearly sign-posted.

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