Wild or feral horses are an invasive species that need to be controlled because of their impacts on environmental values in Kosciuszko National Park.
Wild or feral horses are an invasive species that need to be controlled because of their impacts on environmental values in Kosciuszko National Park. Further, given they have no natural predators, populations will continue to rise until there are no longer food resources for them to survive. Like all large herbivore populations, their populations will inevitably crash and starve during severe droughts. There are considerable animal welfare consequences during such catastrophes. Feral horses impact considerably on the natural ecosystem and species of Kosciuszko National Park, including threatened species. They need to be managed. We support most of the management recommendations in the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan, apart from the establishment of feral horse retention areas. Further, we have recommendations in relation to other aspects of feral horse management to ensure an evidence-based management and policy approach is taken.
Recommendation 1 – Conservation of native species and ecosystems should drive decisionmaking for Kosciuszko National Park
Recommendation 2 – Recognition of the considerable scientific evidence identifying significant negative impacts of feral horses on ecosystems, including native species
Recommendation 3 – Feral horse prevention areas need to be maintained by controlling feral horses
Recommendation 4 – Feral horse removal areas need to be established, allowing for control of feral horses
Recommendation 5 – There should be no feral horse retention areas
Recommendation 6 – The Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 should be repealed
Recommendation 7 – Aerial surveys should be used to survey horse populations
Recommendation 8 – Best practice capture and control methods should be used
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