BRUMBY CULLING A TOUGH DECISION - BUT THE RIGHT ONE
In politics, as in life, hard decisions sometimes must be made for the greater good of all concerned.
That’s why I’ve supported the NSW Government’s decision to conduct aerial culling of feral horses in the Kosciuszko National Park, as a means to protect the fragile alpine environment from the damage caused by this introduced species.
Of course, this decision has distressed some people – and I understand why. Nobody likes the idea of shooting horses - magnificent animals that have long been one of humankind’s best friends - but the science tells us that aerial culling is needed to save the park from catastrophic damage.
The science also tells us that the number of horses in the park is unsustainably high, with between 14,000 and 23,000 of these large, hard-hoofed animals roaming the high country and doing enormous harm to waterways, wetlands and habitat for native animals and plants.
While some people have disputed these numbers, there can be no doubt that there are many thousands of wild horses in the park and the damage they do has been clearly recorded. Scientific research shows that even in relatively small numbers, horses cause soil erosion, foul wetlands and streams, kill alpine vegetation and trample burrows used by small native animals.
Simply put, the high country has no natural defences against large, introduced animals and if action is not taken, the damage will become irreparable.
I also understand the affection many people have for brumbies as part of Australia’s heritage – immortalised in Banjo Paterson’s epic The Man From Snowy River – but those people can take heart in knowing that the management plan aims to leave 3,000 horses in the park. That’s a sustainable number that will limit the damage but retain a presence that preserves memories of our bush heritage.
Other people believe the high-country horses are descendants or originators of the famous light horses that fought in World War One. The former cannot be true as only of Australia’s light horses is known to have been brought home after the war and there is no evidence to support the latter claim. Australia’s war horses were “Walers” – stock horses sourced from across Australia and not a specific breed.
Regardless of the affection for brumbies, the fact remains that there are too many horses doing too much damage in the high country and their numbers must be reduced.
Like feral pigs, deer or dogs, these introduced species are pests that must be controlled.
Few dispute that wild pigs should be culled or that European carp should not be removed from our waterways, if we can find a way to do it. These animals do not have the romantic attraction of horses and their culling does not create the same emotion – but they all do harm to the environment and need to be managed.
If we can reduce the number of wild horses in the park to the targeted 3,000, we will achieve an environmental win for future generations, and the legend of the high-country brumby will live on, safely, sustainably and responsibly.