Pest Plants (New Zealand) Pest plants are any plants that invade the native habitat of other plants. They spread so quickly that they cause harm to the environment, including native birds and animals. These are invasive species that have been introduced to New Zealand by humans. Pest plants can affect the bush, wetlands, coastal dunes, and all other New Zealand habitats. Type of pest plants Here is a list of some common pest plants found in New Zealand.
You will find more names in the websites included in this entry. Weeds: A weed is a plant that grows well where it is not wanted. Agapanthus:A South African flower that competes with natives. Blue morning glory:A tropical plant that grows very fast and smothers other plants. Didymo:An introduced alga that is also known as 'rock snot'. Gorse:Introduced to New Zealand by early European settlers for hedges and windbreaks. Old man's beard:Can climb as high as 20 meters to cover a canopy and smother other plants. Weeds and pests Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Animal Pests (New Zealand) An animal becomes a pest if it begins to cause considerable economic or environmental damage. Animal pests such as stoats, possums, deer, cats and mice were introduced to New Zealand causing the decline in number and sometimes the extinction of the native birds and animals.
The government has had to spend millions of dollars to control these pests in New Zealand. Animal pests of New Zealand Here is a list of some pests that have been introduced to New Zealand by early Māori and Pacific navigators, including early European settlers. Possums: Brought in from Australia to establish a fur industry in New Zealand. Rats and mice: Brown rats, black rats or kiore as they are known in Māori were introduced by the Polynesians and the first explorers. Mustelids: Weasels, stoats and ferrets are examples of mustelids brought into New Zealand for their fur and to control rabbits. Cats: Cats were released into New Zealand to control the number of rabbits, but soon joined rats and stoats as predators. Nature: New Zealand DOC - Habitats, pests and threats, native animals & plants. Introduced animal pests. Human impact Before people arrived in New Zealand, the land was covered in bush.
But three-quarters of it has been burned or cut down. People also brought with them animals which ate the bush and its native birds, bats, lizards and insects. Possums Possums were introduced from Australia in the mid-1800s to be used for fur. Millions of them now live on farmland and in forest throughout New Zealand. They kill trees by stripping them of leaves, fruit and seeds.
Traps, poison and guns are used to control possums. Rats and mice It is thought that Pacific rats (also known as kiore) came with the first Polynesian settlers, about 1250–1300. Mice also take the food eaten by native animals. Stoats and cats Stoats were brought from Britain in the 1870s to control rabbits.
Cats were carried on ships to control the rats on board. Other animals Deer, goats and pigs also damage the bush and its wildlife. Topic Explorer - Possums. NZ Geographic Magazines -