Right: High country brumbies provide a photo opportunity sought by many of their supporters. But many opponents of feral horses on delicate Alpine ground ask the question, "What's wrong with this picture?"
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Arguments opposing the substantial reduction of brumby numbers in alpine national parks
1. Brumbies are of historical and cultural significance in alpine regions of Australia
Those who argue that brumbies should be retained in the areas of Australia they now occupy stress their historical and cultural significance.
The Australian Brumby Alliance has given an overview of what those who champion the brumby believe its significance to be. The Alliance states, 'Brumbies are an integral part of Australia's social history and hold important cultural and heritage value. Each Brumby population area across Australia and overseas is unique in that they can be traced back to their original founding stock through social history and genetics and have evolved and adapted to the seasonal extremes of the locations where they are found. The ancestors of today's Brumbies arrived with the First Fleets to Australia and were valued as an essential and versatile work horse. Ancestors of the modern-day Brumbies served during the Boer War and the two World Wars. Brumbies have become iconic to Australia, for example, the naming of rugby teams, army units, on paper currency and of course the film The Man from Snowy River which celebrated the heritage of Brumbies in Australia. They also featured at the opening of the Sydney Olympics viewed by people from all over the world.'
The Brumby Action group has put a similar argument in opposition to the removal of brumbies from alpine national parks in Victoria. The group states, 'Brumbies are revered and respected for their cultural and social values by the Australian public having featured in books, poems, film and artworks. Most Australians remember with pride the 2000 opening of the Sydney Olympics when Ammo, a beautiful proud Brumby led a parade of over 200 Brumbies that filled the stadium to resounding applause.'
On October 11, 2018, a contributor to The University of Melbourne's Scientific Scribbles blog, attempted to explain the cultural significance of the brumby in Australia. He writes, 'Over time [brumbies] began to be associated with Australia's cultural heritage, particularly the pastoral landscapes of early post-colonisation. Both responding to and responsible for this association is "The Man from Snowy River", a poem [written by celebrated Australian bush poet Banjo Patterson] about a band of men riding to catch a horse that had escaped and joined the brumbies of Kosciusko. The poem is so intensely bound to Australian identity that it's written on our five dollar note. What more evidence do you need that Australia's "wild bush horses" are a cultural icon?'
The Australian Brumby Alliance and other groups supporting the maintenance of brumby populations in Australian alpine regions argue that these animals deserve the same protection under cultural heritage legislation that it offered to significant buildings and locations in Australia. The Alliance notes that the International Council on Monuments and Sites believes that 'Cultural significance embodies expressions of identity and experience, reflects the diversity of communities, tells us about who we are, the past that formed us, our landscape and that they are irreplaceable and precious.' The Alliance has repeatedly argued that Australia's alpine brumbies have this level of cultural significance in Australia and so should be protected. The Alliance states, 'Wild Horses represent living heritage values.'
Leisa Caldwell, founding member of the Snowy Mountains Horse Riders Association, has stressed the unique importance that horses have in human history (including Australian history) and argues that they cannot be regarded in the same way as other feral species. Caldwell writes, 'Our grandfathers did not ride foxes into battle at Beersheba. It was not pigs, deer or cats that transported humans throughout the world for over 8,000 years and partnered humans in the field for survival. It's not the other introduced animals that still partner humans today in the Olympics. There's no other animal on the planet that has such a relationship or has that interaction with humans. So, horses should be viewed very differently.'
2. The environmental damage caused by brumbies is exaggerated
Supporters of feral horses being allowed to remain within Australian alpine national parks argue that these animals are not causing the problems their critics accuse them of creating.
Members of the Barmah Brumby Preservation Group argue that the damage feral horses are said to cause in the Barmah National Park is being falsely attributed to these animals. The supporters of the horses claim that they have been part of the region's ecosystem for over a hundred years, during which time the area has 'evolved into the most significant red river gum wetland forest in the world, whilst the horses have been a part of it.'
The Barmah Brumby Preservation Group further claims that accusations that brumbies are damaging the Moira grasslands are false. The group claims, 'Man-made flooding of the forest at the wrong time of the year is slowly destroying the Moira Grass. Flooding in the summer only causes stagnant black water which not only kills the Moira Grass but also kills Red Gum trees.' The group further notes that the moira grass is facing competition from 'invasive plants and weeds.' The group claims that 'Scientific evidence provided by Parks Victoria to our group in January 2017 actually supports these two factors as the biggest threats to Moira grasslands. The evidence goes further, saying that even if the brumbies are removed, the moira grasslands will still probably become extinct.'
The matter has become even more confused by a more recent report cited by the Brumby Alliance Group which claims that the local grasses are making an unexpected recovery. The Alliance notes, 'The environmental water authority reports a season's outstanding crop of moira grasses, removing all justification [for the planned cull].'
The Barmah Brumby Preservation Group has also noted the impact of other non-native animal species. They note 'Pigs and deer are in plague proportions and do cause significant damage. Wild cats, foxes and other feral animals are also causing major problems.' The group claims that off-road use of 4-wheel drives and illegal hunting are a further source oof environmental degradation. They claim that rather than seeking to remove brumbies, the Victorian government should be better managing the area to reduce the harm caused by other invasive species and humans mistreating the region.
The same point has been made by former Cooma mayor and former nationals MP Peter Cochran, who has stated, 'The Park (Kosciusko National Park) is over-run with other feral pests - including wild pigs, wild dogs, foxes, wild cats, deer and rabbits - damaging the park and not enough steps have been taken to manage them. They are all there in large numbers - the pigs in their thousands. They are a massive problem, and for some reason their (National Parks') focus are horses. I can show you hundreds of acres which have been ripped up by pigs - they plough the ground right up. National Parks opposes shooting those animals. I can't see how on earth they can legitimately claim they can shoot brumbies but not wild pigs.'
Some defenders of brumbies remaining in Australia's national parks have also cast doubt on the reliability of the data supposedly demonstrating that feral horses are increasing greatly in numbers.
New Zealand wildlife ecologist Craig Downer has called for 'an independent census of all Brumbies living in the Alpine, Bogong, Barmah and Kosciusko National Parks.' Downer states, 'In all of these parks except Barmah, vast habitats were recently scorched by catastrophic wildfires, now increasing due to Global Warming. Millions of plants and animals perished, many excruciatingly in the flames and including many Brumbies. Yet there has been no census of the Brumbies after these terrible fires. Most probably there has been a major decrease in the Brumby population in and around these parks.'
In 2017, the Snowy Mountain Brumby and Sustainability Management Group (SMBSMG) claimed that the techniques used by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service to estimate brumby numbers were not reliable. The group claims that an aerial survey it has done shows brumby numbers are almost 5000 less than those estimated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).A separate brumby supporters' group, the Snowy Mountains Bush Users Group (SMBUG), headed by Peter Cochran, claims there needs to be better methodology to give a more accurate picture of brumby numbers. Mr Cochran has stated, 'You need an approved methodology...The NPWS's method has failed,'
3. The methods used to remove brumbies are often inhumane
Supporters of brumbies remaining in Australia's alpine national parks argue that most of the removal measures proposed, especially culling, are inevitably cruel.
Opposition to aerial culling of feral horses reached a high point in 2000 following reports of a cull organised by New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Services (NPWS). The cull was conducted in Guy Fawkes national park, 300 miles north of Sydney. 617 horses were killed and the way they were slaughtered resulted in widespread public opposition and the New South Wales RSPCA bringing 12 charges against the NPWS alleging cruelty to animals.
A report published in The Guardian at the time states, 'Local people were enraged after discovering badly mutilated carcasses scattered across the park. "The manner in which these horses were killed was absolutely barbaric. It was damned murder - that's what it was," said landowner Greg Everingham.Mr Everingham contacted the RSPCA, which claimed it discovered several bullet-riddled horses had survived the cull to stagger on for another day.'
The Australian Veterinarian Association condemned the cull for the 'lack of concern by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for the welfare of the many horses which suffered terribly in this incident'.
The Australian Veterinarian Association (AVA) responded to the incident by declaring that aerial culls were not suited to mountainous regions and should not be used in such locations. The Association stated that aerial culling should only be considered in Australia's dry open plains, where helicopters could easily track and put down injured animals without causing undue suffering. The AVA vice president Dr Garth McGilvray stated, 'The very rugged forest terrain in the Guy Fawkes national park is not suitable for this because of the obvious difficulty in conducting the operation in the most humane manner possible.'
The result of the Guy Fawkes National Parks aerial cull was that the New South Wales's environment minister ordered the suspension of all culling of feral horses in national parks while an independent review of the practice was conducted.
Aerial culling of horses is now illegal in New South Wales; however, opponents of the practice note that it is still used in Victoria and will be used, when necessary, as part of the state's most recent feral horse management plan. East Gippsland Shire Councillor, Sonia Buckley, has claimed that controlling the horses with aerial shooting was inhumane and ineffective and it 'should be completely off the table'. Councillor Buckley stated, 'It's hard country to be able to see the animals from the air. [Aerial shooters] can't make it in a single shot.'
Mountain Cattlemen's Association executive officer Graeme Stoney, a former Victorian MP, has stated, 'We are totally against aerial shooting, as this is really cruel, as shooting of mares can leave foals abandoned.'
The Brumby Action Group maintains that no form of culling can avoid pain and distress to the animals. Referring to the plan to remove significant numbers of horses from Victoria's alpine national parks, they claim, 'There is no doubt, the shooting of 530 brumbies in the Alps if it proceeds will not be kind or pretty, it has every possibility of being cruel and inhumane.'
Referring to ground culls already conducted in Victoria in the Barmah National Park in 2018, critics have noted what they claim is the continuation of cruel practices. Murray Willaton from the Barmah Brumby Preservation Group has claimed that he witnessed a stallion being shot in the middle of the stomach and has called such practices 'unacceptable'. Snowy Mountains Horse Riding Association (SMHRA) spokeswoman, Leisa Caldwell, has condemned the use of ground culling anywhere within the Australian alpine region. She claims, 'What's cruel, terrifying and unnecessary is ground shooting.'
4. Brumbies are a tourist attraction within alpine regions
Supporters of allowing brumbies to remain in Australia's alpine regions stress the benefits they offer in attracting tourists to these areas.
The Australian Brumby Alliance maintains that brumbies are a significant tourist attraction. They state, 'Brumbies bring tourists to each area they are found with many local horse and adventure trail operators dependent on Brumbies remaining in the wild.'
Mountain Cattlemen's Association executive officer Graeme Stoney, a former Victorian MP, has similarly declared, 'They are a wonderful tourist attraction and should be preserved in some form.'
In 2018, while promoting a bill seeking to give on-going protection to brumbies in New South Wales alpine national parks, the state's then deputy premier, John Barilaro, stated, 'We want to make sure there is a viable number of horses in the park for future generations to see. It is an important part of our story and our heritage, but it is also an important tourism driver for the mountain.' Barilaro went on to champion the importance of tourism in the region, of which he believes brumbies are a significant component. He stated, 'Kosciuszko National Park is the largest tourism driver in the Snowy Mountains, with the winter ski season and summer tourism products being developed. It was announced recently that $27 million will be provided for new Snowy Mountains infrastructure such as walking tracks and shared trails. Some of the most beautiful wilderness areas will be open to the public to enjoy.'
In a later address to Parliament, Barilaro expanded on this point. He stated, 'There are few places in the world where wild horses can roam freely. Wild horses are a major drawcard for local tourism and have just as much right as anyone to exist here.' Tourism promotion groups such as visitnsw.com emphasise the Snowy Mountains' connections with brumbies as a way of attracting visitors. They state, 'Sitting near the gateway to the Kosciuszko National Park, home to Australia's highest peak, the Jindabyne region has inspired Australian legends of mountain horsemen, like The Man from Snowy River by Banjo Paterson and Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books. You might even get to see brumbies on a horse-riding tour in the high country, with tour companies like Thredbo Valley Horse Riding.'
Horse trek operators such as Snowy Wilderness Horse Riding note that sighting brumbies is an important experience for many tourists. Their site quotes the views of some of those who have travelled through the Snowy River area with them on horseback. One visitor notes, 'Cantering through riverbeds and through the most breathtakingly beautiful landscape, we saw brumbies, deer, emu, kangaroos, wild pigs, flocks of king parrots and eagles soaring above. This is an amazing snowy wilderness experience.'
The Snowy Wilderness site further encourages visitors to 'Experience the best horse riding holiday Australia has to offer. Our pristine resort is set on 7,500 acres of wilderness high country and adjoins Kosciusko National Park. If you're after a great horse riding adventure through the Snowy Mountains - complete with breathtaking views - our guided horse treks will be an adventure you'll never forget. From our two hour rides to our multi day horse riding adventures across Jindabyne that can last anywhere up to seven days, we can accommodate any rider experience level. In the tradition of The Man from Snowy River, Snowy Wilderness is a stunning High Country resort, and a sanctuary for Australia's wild horse, the brumby.'
The Wild Horse Management Plan - Kosciuszko National Park acknowledges the tourism value of brumbies in the park. It states, 'The presence of wild horses in the park has tourism, economic and marketing value to the Snowy Mountains region because some people visit the park with the expectation of seeing wild horses in the landscape.'
5. Brumbies can benefit the natural environment
Those who argue that brumbies should be able to remain in Australian alpine national parks claim that these horses do not simply cause harm to the natural environment. They argue that brumbies benefit the environments within which they live.
Those who claim that brumbies offer benefits to Australian native environments warn against condemning species as harmful simply because they are not indigenous. In June 2011, Nature magazine published an article by Mark Davis et al titled 'Don't judge species on their origins'. Davis argues, 'Today's management approaches must recognize that the natural systems of the past are changing forever thanks to drivers such as climate change, nitrogen eutrophication, increased urbanization and other land-use changes... Certainly, some species introduced by humans have driven extinctions and undermined important ecological services such as clean water and timber resources... But many of the claims driving people's perception that introduced species pose an apocalyptic threat to biodiversity are not backed by data... Nativeness is not a sign of evolutionary fitness or of a species having positive effects...It is time for conservationists to focus much more on the functions of species, and much less on where they originated"'
The Australian Brumby Alliance (ABA) argues that any attempt to determine what number of brumbies should remain within Australian alpine regions should be based on a balancing of what number of horses is needed to maximise the benefits they offer and minimise the harms. The ABA has stated, 'Management of feral horses and in fact any potentially overabundant species not only requires measurement of negative impact but also positive impact. There can be unexpected adverse consequences of reduction in the number of feral horses. Management of brumbies in the Alpine National Park should aim to minimise any negative impact caused by feral horses and maximise any positive impact.'
The ABA argues that summarily removing brumbies from their present environments will harm those species that have come to rely on them. The ABC claims, 'Removing [brumbies] now will break the environmental balance that has evolved over the past 200 years. Those species who now benefit by co-habituating with Brumbies will suffer, especially those species needing short, constant regrowth of fresh green grass Brumby rotational grazing offers, such as the Striated Sun Moth.'
American wildlife ecologist Craig Downer has claimed that wild horses can make valuable contributions to Australian ecosystems in many different ways. He has written, 'Equid [horse] feces lend more sustenance to decomposers and food webs that involve mutually sustaining exchanges among all classes of organisms. The latter include many diverse insects, birds, rodents, reptiles, etc. This could help bolster many native species in Australia.
The less degraded feces of equids contain many more seeds that are intact and capable of germination and from many more types/species of plants when compared with ruminant grazers. Thus, the horses' wide-ranging lifestyles can greatly assist many plants, including Australian natives, in dispersing far and wide and, so, in filling their respective ecological niches. This enriches the food web and allows a greater diversity of animal species, including Australian natives.'
Downer has further claimed, 'Horses aid myriad plant and animal species by their physical actions. As an example, breaking of ice with their hooves during winter freezes allows other animals to access forage and water. Many of these would otherwise perish. Similarly, they open trails in heavy snow or through heavy brush, allowing smaller animals to move about in search of food, water, mineral salts, shelter, warmer areas, mates, etc.'