Pest animals
Pest animals can have negative impacts on resources, natural environments, wildlife and commercial crops.
All of New Zealand’s pest animals were brought here from overseas, either by accident or on purpose, and many have flourished in the absence of their natural predators.
Will sometimes bite and gives a light greasy odour when crushed.
Asian and Australian paper wasps
Smaller than common and German wasps, they are known to prey on monarch butterflies.
Often found in towns or cities with ports, the Darwins ant will give off a strong odor when crushed.
Brightly coloured parrot with a distinctive red head, with white cheek patches.
Different from a stray cat, who still have interactions with humans; feral cats are completely wild.
Goats can travel relatively large distances and are well known for climbing or breaking down fences.
Significant predator that preys on a variety of native species birds, lizards, frogs, eggs, eels and insects.
New Zealand has the highest densities of wasps in the world due to the lack of natural predators.
Small nocturnal mammal with a body mostly covered in up to 6000 brown and white spikes.
Introduced from Australia in the 1860s to control pastoral insect pests. Known to harass and sometimes kill a variety of other birds.
Norway rats came with early settlers in the late 1700s, ship rats became established after 1860s.
A small lizard, measuring about 3-4 cm excluding its long thin tail. Probably arrived accidentally via cargo from Australia.
Introduced from Australia in 1837 to establish a fur industry. An economic and environmental threat to New Zealand.
Rooks are large, glossy, purplish-black bird with a prominent, powerful bill.
Introduced from Europe in the 1880s to control rabbits, they are an aggressive and relentless hunter.
Dama wallaby are cautious and nocturnal (they sleep during the day), so can be difficult to detect.
Introduced from Europe in the 1880s to control rabbits. Significant predator that preys on a variety of native birds, lizards, eggs, and insects.
The first mouse arrived in New Zealand via Australia when the ship ‘Henrietta’ ran ashore on Ruapuke Island off Stewart Island in 1824.
Wild rabbits are largely an agricultural pest and they compete with livestock for pasture.