Cull looms as brumby numbers in Snowy Mountains explode
With a new count suggesting numbers of feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park are soaring, the State Government is again under pressure to cull numbers.
NSW
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A major cull of the Snowy Mountains brumbies is looming with a new count revealing numbers have exploded.
State government figures reveal just 46 feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park were removed in October, with thirteen euthanased or sent to the knackery and the remainder rehomed.
But with the latest count organised by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service putting the latest horse numbers at well over 10,000 – some sources believe the figure is closer to 15,000 – a major cull appears inevitable.
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Feral horses have been blamed for damaging the unique alpine environment of the national park while also putting the lives of campers within the park at risk.
They were listed as a “key threatening process” by the independent NSW Scientific Committee last year, which declared they were pushing already vulnerable plants and animals towards extinction.
Six years ago, the government proposed to cull the horses from the then estimated number of 6000 horses to just 600 over 20 years, but the plan was shelved after a backlash by the pro-horse community.
In a move seen by some as securing his state seat of Monaro in the lead up to the March election, Nationals leader John Barilaro instead introduced the Wild Horses Heritage Act to afford greater protection over the horses, some of which inhabit his electorate.
In August, Mr Barilaro and Environment Minister Matt Kean clashed over the issue when a petition advocating a cull was presented to state parliament.
With Mr Barilaro’s sights on Canberra, the new horse management plan may have a greater chance of success.
In the US, where public land officials are also grappling to find a socially acceptable solution to its wild mustang problem, the government has introduced a $1000-per-horse incentive scheme for people to adopt and train an animal.
State opposition environment spokesman Kate Washington said the “political paralysis” over the issue needed to end.
“I understand the latest count shows the horse numbers to have exploded from between 10-15,000,” she said.
“The inaction of the government is entirely irresponsible. The infighting between the Nationals and the Liberals has got to stop.”
The exact figure of the latest count will not be revealed until a preliminary report is peer-reviewed.
The horses that have been removed came from the Blue Waterholes campground area where the horses were clashing with campers.
NPWS Southern Ranges director Mick Pettitt told a Budget Estimates hearing last month that the horses that had been “interacting” with campers were the ones that were removed to enable the campground to be safely reopened for Christmas.
“We have rehomed 33 of those 46 horses,” he said.
“Two were euthanased and 11 went to the knackery. We are confident just by knowing from our staff the horses that have been interacting, that some of those horses have been removed.”
He said there had been little rehabilitation work undertaken in the park as the agency was awaiting the finalisation of the latest horse management plan, which is expected to be completed mid-2020.
Originally published as Cull looms as brumby numbers in Snowy Mountains explode