Fears Wallaby may have spread to Southland

Environment Southland is concerned the wallaby population in Aotearoa may have made it to Te Anau.

An investigation has been launched after a potential sighting this week, when a contractor identified possible wallaby scat.

The invasive pests, native to Australia, eat grass, native shrubs and trees, and can cause erosion issues and damage pastures.

Environment Southland's biosecurity and biodiversity operations manager, Ali Meade, said staff were working on a plan with the Otago Regional Council, which had experts on how to deal with the animals because they have been in Otago for a couple of years.