23 Aug 2017

Lambing season is underway in Port Hills reserves and Council rangers are warning that dogs must be kept on a leash.

Matt Rose, a ranger based at Victoria Park, says signs have been put up on Port Hills tracks alerting visitors to the lambs but he has noticed people are still walking and biking in the area with their dogs roaming free.

Lambs on the Port Hills.

Lambing season is under way on the Port Hills.

“The Council doesn’t close tracks for lambing, but we are asking the public to respect stock welfare. The next four to five weeks are the most crucial time for lambing and it’s important that dogs are kept on a lead.”

There have been cases in the past where dogs have chased or mauled newborn lambs.

Mr Rose says while visitors think of the Port Hills as a recreation area, Council reserves are also used as farmland by farmers who hold a licence to graze sheep. The grazing is an important management tool for the grassland/tussockland areas of the Port Hills and helps to reduce fire risk by keeping grass short and reducing the spread of woody weeds. 

There will soon be hundreds of lambs around Halswell Quarry, Mt Vernon, Sugarloaf, Scarborough Hill, Greenwood Reserve, Godley Head Reserve, Castle Hill Reserve and Montgomery Spur Reserve.

Mr Rose says if someone comes across a lamb that seems abandoned it is usually best to leave it there, write down the location and call the Council’s call centre who will contact rangers. They will talk to the leaseholder or stock owner, or check on the lamb themselves.

In many cases the ewe has just temporarily left the lamb and is grazing nearby. If people handle the lamb it becomes harder for the mother to recognise her offspring and she might reject it as a result.

Port Hills farmer Jean Scott is expecting an excellent lambing season this year. “The rain we’ve had has been absolutely marvellous and will stand us in good stead for a very good spring.”

She asked people using Port Hills tracks to keep their distance from stock, to leave gates as they find them, and to keep their dogs under control.

Council Animal Management Team Leader Mark Vincent says dog owners need to be aware of controlling their pets during lambing season across the city, not just on the Port Hills. Fines of $300 can be issued to owners of dogs not kept under effective control and if a dog attacks stock the owner could face prosecution by the Council.

A ewe and her lamb on the Port Hills.

Port Hills users are being urged to keep their distance from ewes and their lambs.