A Bennett's wallaby. Photo: 123rf
An extensive search for a wallaby in Southland has returned no results as unconfirmed sightings mount in the region.
On 17 September, Environment Southland was notified of a reported sighting near the Waiau River control gate in Te Anau Basin.
The regional council activated a search involving both trained dogs and drones, but the animal was never found.
Environment Southland biosecurity and biodiversity operations manager Ali Meade said droppings were discovered during the search and were identified by experts as likely belonging to a wallaby.
DNA testing came back inconclusive, however, which was probably because of the sample's age.
The animals are an introduced pest in New Zealand with a reputation for destroying native bush, hence why the council is keen to keep them out of the region.
"Wallabies are a pest because they can cause significant economic and environmental impacts as they eat grass, native shrubs and trees," Meade said.
"They can damage pasture and fences, add to erosion issues and damage young tree seedlings."
There have been 20 reported wallaby sightings in the region since 2015, and eight of those have come this year alone.
Only one has been found - a live wallaby in Invercargill, back in 2016.
Last month's search was conducted between Ivan Wilson Park and Rainbow Reach, but focused around the control gates.
It involved the help of Otago Regional Council, which is a partner organisation to Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme.
Biosecurity officers have investigated all reported wallaby sightings, Meade said.
Earlier in the year, The Press reported there had been two unconfirmed wallaby sightings in Christchurch.
A possible explanation given for a wallaby ending up in the city was that someone stowed one in their car only to have it later escape.
* LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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