Creature ‘mysteriously’ appears on New Zealand island trail, ‘disturbing’ experts
A member of the public walking along a path on New Zealand’s Rakiura Island made a grim discovery that is alarming wildlife experts for more than one reason.
On July 12, a pedestrian reported a dead stoat on the Rakiura Great Walk Track. Stoats are confirmed to have been eliminated from the island because of the danger the species poses to threatened wildlife there, according to a July 22 news release from the Department of Conservation.
“The stoat’s skull was crushed indicating it had died instantaneously from either a trap or similar blunt force,” according to the release.
Stoats belong to the same family as weasels and ferrets, according to experts. They were introduced to New Zealand around 1879 to control rabbit populations, but they have become “the number one killer of many of New Zealand’s endangered native species,” according to experts.
The nearest stoat population is nearly 20 miles across the Foveaux Strait — far outside the roughly 1 mile range the species can swim, Department of Conservation Southern South Island Director of Operations Aaron Fleming said in the release.
Additionally, the species is not known to stowaway on vessels, so it is unlikely it arrived on the island that way, Fleming said.
“This stoat has died from a head injury then mysteriously turned up on a busy walking track,” Fleming said.
“We need to know if we are dealing with a new significant threat to Rakiura’s native species, or if this stoat has been transported from elsewhere and planted deliberately,” Fleming said. “Both scenarios are disturbing.”
If stoats were to reestablish themselves on the island, it would have devastating consequences as they would decimate other native species, according to Fleming.
One of those species is the kākāpō, which requires a predator-free space to survive, according to the release.
Stoats would also pose a significant threat to the Rakiura Island’s southern brown kiwi population, experts said.
Experts are performing genetic testing on the stoat to determine where it came from. In the meantime, experts are appealing to the public for any information about the stoat, according to the release.
Introducing pests such as stoats is a crime in New Zealand, punishable by imprisonment of up to five years and significant fines.
This story was originally published July 22, 2025 at 10:29 AM with the headline "Creature ‘mysteriously’ appears on New Zealand island trail, ‘disturbing’ experts."
