Waikato Regional Council is upping its efforts to make sure Wallabies aren't bouncing around in Taupō forests.

A dead wallaby found near Turangi recently may hold clues as to whether the introduced pests have spread into the Taupō region.

Waikato Regional Council's Brett Baily said the pest was known to populate forests in the Rotorua Lakes region, and sightings suggest it had spread.

The Turangi wallaby carcass will be examined to determine whether it was shot by a hunter, hit by a car, or died of natural causes.

DOUG FIELD/STUFF Waikato Regional Council is upping its efforts to make sure Wallabies aren't bouncing around in Taupō forests.

"If it looks like it's been shot, there's a chance it's come from the Tarawera Forest [near Murapara]," Bailey said.

"People often dump them on their way home."

The regional council is planning a major boost in funding to control wallabies. At present, it spends $60,000 a year.

"We're looking for $650,000 over the next three years [$216,000 per year] to ramp up the whole wallaby plan in the Waikato region," Bailey said.

The pooulation of wallabies in the area is not known and the regional council concentrates its efforts on determining where the populations are, Bailey said.

"Since 2007, we've put a large focus on trying to establish where they are and where they aren't.

"Our plan is to develop a new containment area," the biosecurity pest animals team leader said.

The increase in funding for wallaby control is part of the regional council's 2018-2028 Long-Term Plan, which goes out for public consultation on March 16.

The WRC receives reports of wallaby sightings from hunters, who are encouraged to shoot the pests.

A specially-trained wallaby-hunting dog also investigates sightings, Bailey said.

"If the dog indicates scat [wallaby manure], we'll get the DNA tested to make sure it's from a wallaby."

Cameras set up on trails are used to confirm the presence of wallabies on trails too.

Bailey said dama wallabies were introduced to Rotorua in 1912.

As a ground-feeding species, they eat young native seedlings and emerging pine saplings, limiting the growth of forests, he said.

Taupō hunter Stephen Spargo said he hadn't heard of any wallabies outside known Bay of Plenty areas.

"I'm only ever seen a couple behind Murapara, towards Rotorua, myself."

Sightings of wallabies should be reported to 0800 STOP PESTS [0800 786 773].