A plan to almost wipe out the Snowy Mountains brumby population over the next two decades has been released by the New South Wales Government today.

The draft Wild Horse Management plan for Kosciusko National Park aims to reduce the current number of wild horses in the national park area from 6,000 to approximately 3,000 in the next five to 10 years.

It then proposes to cut that figure to only 600 over the next 20 years.

NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman said the horses were damaging the park's fragile alpine and sub-alpine environment.

Scientists have long campaigned for the removal of all brumbies from Australia's alpine areas, arguing they damage sensitive waterways and endanger native species.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-01/plans-to-drastically-reduce-snowy-mountains-brumby-population/7373634

Are they going to wait for them to die of old age?


That is 1 horse per day at best; they do realise they are a herd animal and can be wiped out fairly quickly don't they?

Yep, if you want to protect them buy some land yourself and keep some.

Apart from that they need to be wiped out.

WA cleared out the Brumbies in the water catchment areas in the hills east of Perth 70 or so years ago before people got wet and soppy.

The Water Board actually gave my then 16 year old uncle a 303 to blow them up.

Quote:

NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman said the horses were damaging the park's fragile alpine and sub-alpine environment. Scientists have long campaigned for the removal of all brumbies from Australia's alpine areas, arguing they damage sensitive waterways and endanger native species.

This is an issue where conservationist and animal rights groups disagree.

I am on the side of the conservationists. I believe that the horses should be removed and that the only practical method is a cull. Australia's alpine areas are rare and fragile and are no place for cattle or horses. I have seen first hand the damage that cattle and horses do to the high country. Their hooves turn mountain streams into muddy bogs full of excrement that then wash down into the rivers.

Yes Barnie, but they will be fighting some of the most neurotic people on the planet Ney Ney people

The_Barnacle wrote on Feb 4^th, 2017 at 11:47am:

Quote: NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman said the horses were damaging the park's fragile alpine and sub-alpine environment. Scientists have long campaigned for the removal of all brumbies from Australia's alpine areas, arguing they damage sensitive waterways and endanger native species. This is an issue where conservationist and animal rights groups disagree. I am on the side of the conservationists. I believe that the horses should be removed and that the only practical method is a cull. Australia's alpine areas are rare and fragile and are no place for cattle or horses. I have seen first hand the damage that cattle and horses do to the high country. Their hooves turn mountain streams into muddy bogs full of excrement that then wash down into the rivers.

But 3000 horses over 10 years isn't quite what you would call a cull now is it?

It is barely above natural attrition.

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 4^th, 2017 at 11:56am:

But 3000 horses over 10 years isn't quite what you would call a cull now is it? It is barely above natural attrition.

They said that they would reduce the current population of 6000 to 3000 within 10 years. Natural attrition and new births tend to cancel each other out




miketrees wrote on Feb 4^th, 2017 at 11:50am:

Yes Barnie, but they will be fighting some of the most neurotic people on the planet Ney Ney people

Yes I know. Modern Western societies relationships with animals has become quite strange.

Eat them

Gordon wrote on Feb 4^th, 2017 at 1:28pm:

Eat them

I had horse sushimi in japan, pretty bloody nice. Highly recommend it.  8-)

Cull Muslims if you really want to eradicate a pest.

Get scoot to bore them out

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 4^th, 2017 at 10:26am:

That is 1 horse per day at best; they do realise they are a herd animal and can be wiped out fairly quickly don't they?

My guess is that they arn't going to just leave 6000 horse carcasses to rot in the national park. They are going to have to remove them.



Gordon wrote on Feb 4^th, 2017 at 1:28pm:

Eat them

I wouldn't have an issue with that as long as long as the meat is free of parasites.
 

The_Barnacle wrote on Feb 5^th, 2017 at 12:48pm:

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 4th, 2017 at 10:26am: That is 1 horse per day at best; they do realise they are a herd animal and can be wiped out fairly quickly don't they? My guess is that they arn't going to just leave 6000 horse carcasses to rot in the national park. They are going to have to remove them.

Remove some, leave the more remote ones to rot. But there will be no horse problem.

http://www.bloggeratlarge.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Horse-salami.jpg