• Elk were first imported and wild released into Fiordland, New Zealand March 3rd 1905.

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• Commercially farming elk in New Zealand commenced in the late 1970’s.

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• Importing North American pure elk into New Zealand commenced again in the early 1980’s.

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• The term “wapiti” is used in New Zealand to describe animals that were derived from wild animals captured from Fiordland, New Zealand. For a comprehensive explanation of terminology used in New Zealand around elk click here.

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• The term “elk” is used to describe animals that were imported or derived from parents of animals imported from North America in the 1980’s.