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2015/02: Should the aerial culling of brumbies in National Parks be allowed?
Introduction to the media issue
Video clip at right:On July 15, 2011, ABC News ran a report on News South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service plan to begin a brumby cull. The report includes the views of a number of horse welfare groups. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.
What they said...
'There are a number of endangered ecological communities up there. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. We don't get them back'
Tom Bagnat, New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service director
'The horses have been there for 200 years. If they are causing this impact on flora and fauna, what has been made extinct or ... seriously impacted by the brumby?'
Clive Edwards, vice-president of the Snowy Mountains Bush Users Group
The issue at a glance
On December 19, 2014, the New South Wales Environment Minister, Rob Stokes, announced that aerial culling of brumbies would not be considered in an updated horse management plan for the Snowy Mountains. A draft of the plan will be released later this year. A ban on shooting wild horses from helicopters has been in place in New South Wales since 2000.
The continued ban on aerial culling has met with the approval of a number of brumby support groups; however, many environmentalists and National Parks rangers and administration are deeply opposed.
The chief executive of the National Parks Association, Kevin Evans, has said the brumbies should not be managed sustainably but removed completely to protect 'the fragility of these landscapes'.
The current ban on aerial culling in the alpine park regions of New South Wales and Victoria was introduced after more than 600 horses were culled at Guy Fawkes River National Park in October 2000. The technique continues to be used in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.