Feral horses are a major threat to the unique environment of the Australian Alps, says ACT Parks and Conservation Services.
Wild horses that cross into the ACT from Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, where culling has been halted, will be killed, according to ACT Parks and Conservation.
Director of ACT Parks and Conservation Services, Daniel Iglesias said the ACT’s threatened plants, animals and water catchment needed to be protected.
“Heavy hoofed animals damage waterways, cause erosion and trample habitat. They threaten the water quality in the Murray-Darling Basin,” he said.
“The science is clear. Feral horses, along with other European introduced pests such as pigs and deer, are a major threat to the unique environment of the Australian Alps.”
Mr Iglesias said the northern corroboree frog, which live in the moist alpine bogs of the ACT high country, was just one of the critically endangered animals whose habitat was damaged by hard hoofed animals including horses.
He said the catchment was a main source of drinking water in the ACT, and it relied on the integrity and protection of Namadgi National Park.
“Nationally, snowmelt and rainfall flowing from the Australian Alps contributes more than 30 per cent of inflows into the Murray-Darling system, and even more in dry years, despite covering just 0.2 per cent of the continent,” he said.
Feral horses did not recognise state boundaries, but the ACT had been effective in excluding horses from moving from Kosciuszko into the ACT’s high country to date, Mr Iglesias said.
“We will have a strong interest in whatever control programs NSW adopt, as they have to be effective enough to ensure ACT’s water catchment is not impacted by horses crossing the border,” he said.
“In the ACT, we are focused on ensuring our sensitive and critical water catchment is protected from the harmful impact of feral animals, including horses.”
NSW laws will recognise the heritage value of the feral horse or brumby in Kosciuszko National Park and set a framework for protecting it.
A heritage management plan will be prepared for the brumby, which will identify areas within the Kosciuszko National Park where populations will be maintained, and set rules around brumby management.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the heritage management plan would specifically prohibit lethal culling of the brumby and identify those areas in the park where brumbies can roam without causing significant environmental harm.
“If brumbies are found in highly-sensitive alpine areas of Kosciuszko National Park, resources will be allocated towards relocation first, followed by re-homing, should population numbers grow too high,” he said.
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Not as if they don’t get shot regularly as soon as they set foot out of the NP.
Comments so far have been hilarious. Obviously from people with no idea of the number of these things in the NP. I’ve regularly seen several mobs of >100 horses on a drive through KNP. I don’t care if you think they are pretty and you like horsies. The fact is they are a feral pest and don’t belong there. No different to the cane toad, the foxes, feral cats and wild dogs. They should absolutely be culled.
Should allow hunting in the ACT for pigs, deer, and other ferals.
Thankfully this is not going to happen.
John Perkins just unfortunate for the native flora and fauna.
Welcome to the ACT were not even a Peacock is safe.
The ACT government concerned about native species? The same government who demolished thousands of acres to pop up new suburbs that have medium density and no native plants except for some pissy grasses on median strip and a couple of half acre water catchment parading as ponds? Yeah ok, Sure thing.
Are there many city adjacent suburbs in nsw that are better? It’s kind of a given that when a new suburb for people goes up it replaces what’s there.
I’m absolutely all for an option that creates more spaces between houses, ensures that existing native animals and reduces human impact on the ecosystem.
That said I am not aware of any examples of this being done elsewhere in similar circumstances. I am also not keen on the idea of land being even more expensive in the ACT (through having part of new suburbs be put aside for native plants/animals) or having more animals nearby that people can turn into road kill.
There are also large National Park areas within the ACT in which the native species can be.
I do get what you are saying though, you could say humans are the most destructive feral animals. I guess I just see that as a larger and somewhat seperate issue to how various animals are controlled within a National Park.
He government can still care about native species (hence various action in national parks). But perhaps cares more about votes/money/transport etc (they can be concerned but it may not be their only concern).
Nice PR statement to gain media attention on a culturally sensitive theme.
You’d think the parks admin would be more concerned with the packs of now wild domestic dogs and many thousands of foxes that roam around rather than a couple of horses that are easy to spot and shoot. As for them being a traffic hazard - exactly how many horses has anyone seen along the highways littered with kangaroos, wombats and other native wildlife corpses involved in car crashes every day...
They do have plans in place for the wild dogs foxes cats pigs deer already.
Well they’re not working. The packs of dogs are so common now it’s quite dangerous to be in the park area at night. This is about getting media space and approval to shoot to kill rather than relocate - it caters for those who enjoy shooting things.
problem is that if you collide with a large animal like a horse there's the danger of it coming through the windscreen and injuring the vehicles occupants.
From accident statistics: “Animal crashes account for around 5-6% of accidents (and it’s estimated that this is under-reported). Of these accidents that resulted in serious injury for the driver/rider, motorcyclists represent over half of them. Kangaroos, wombats, wallabies and emus are the most prevalent road kill.”
You’re not concerned about kangaroos but for some reason the unlikely accident with a rare brumby is an emergency.
They bait and trap the dogs
The domestic dog turned wild pack situation is out of control atm. No doubt bolstered by the abundance of rabbits, foxes and other smaller animals to eat.
An article on this doesn’t mean they are not looking into other issues too though, right?
These feral horses are half tonne, hard hooved animals causing serious environmental harm to fragile alpine wetlands and waterways. These horses must go.
As much as they are very beautiful & it is lovely to see them around! They can just suddenly gallop in front of your car & they can cause dreadful accidents where people & horses have lost there lives!
Cars do more damage, especially SUVs. Those brumbies have been there for over 150 years and, now, all of a sudden, they are a nuisance???? I don't think so.
the ecosystem they are destroying is thousands of years.....
No they are very majestic! It is very scary when they gallop near your car & suddenly shoot across the road! Several accidents over the last couple of years where people have lost there lives! Not all of us drive a SUV!
Kerry Jackson Humans do infinitely more damage to the ecosystem than horses.
What?!? so anything that may walk in front of your car should be killed??
They gallop in front of your car in herds! It is very dangerous! Is there another solution? Maybe fence the hwy? They are Beautiful & Majestic!
These feral horses are half tonne, hard hooved animals causing serious damage to fragile alpine wetlands and waterways, they must be removed. Good on the ACT Parks Service for being so proactive on the feral horse threats.