Barmah brumby orphan Binda is one of many animals at risk

A volunteer group say that action is needed now to save the Barmah brumby, calling on the government to provide funds to ‘stop the cruelty’.

Leonardo Noskov, 5, with Binda, a rescued brumby from the Barmah Forest.. Picture: Rob Leeson.

Barmah brumby orphan Binda is lucky to be alive.

She was saved by volunteers who found her after her mother perished from starvation about two and a half months ago near the Barmah National Park on the Murray River.

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Binda, who is almost ready to be fostered, was one of seven emaciated foals from the Park that Lyn Sutton has cared for at HOOFS2010 Brumby Rescue since September.

“Her recovery has been a slow process,” Ms Sutton said.

“She has required two-hourly feeding, vaccinations, temperate and consumption management and a lot of care.

“The brumby mothers give everything to their foals and then when they die (of starvation) the goals are left to probably perish or get shot.”

The carer estimates she had spent almost $20,000 on vet bills and care for orphaned brumbies from the Barmah National Park since September alone.

One of the starving brumbies in the Barmah Forest. Picture: Barmah Brumby Preservation Group

The Barmah brumby population is at risk of collapse, according to a preservation group fighting to keep them alive.

Group president Murray Willaton, 56, said the heritage population, estimated at around 200 earlier this year, had been in steep decline due to weather conditions and a lack of intervention.

“It’s horrific what’s going on,” he said.

“They (the brumbies) resemble walking skeletons.

“Some of them struggle to walk and some of them can’t get up. The ones of them in that condition are put down at the soonest opportunity.

The president said the group was up for discussions about population management but that Parks Victoria needed to act now to save the remaining animals or the entire population would die before they had the chance.

Leonardo with Binda. Picture: Rob Leeson.

“The current issue isn’t whether they should be there or not, the issue is that there is animal cruelty going on in a national park,” he said.

Volunteers have poured tens of thousands of dollars into providing medical care and hay to the remaining brumbies.

“All we’re asking for is instead of me having to rattle tins and collect money to buy hay, is for the government to provide money,” Mr Willaton said.

“We need to stop the cruelty. It’s just disgusting.”

A Parks Victoria chief conservation scientist Dr Mark Norman said he understood the community was distressed but that it was the policy for the body not to intervene.

“We understand people’s concerns about animals that are being affected by dry conditions,” he said.

“Regulations prevent the feeding of, or interference with, animals in national parks.

“The scale of the problem is too large to be solved by the provision of feed. “

Parks Victoria said they were working with the RSPCA and local horse vets to manage the situation.

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