Two photographers claim that a herd of eleven brumbies that they had recorded for many years have been mercilessly slaughtered in a national park on the basis of “lies and propaganda.”
On Sunday, Michelle and Ian Brown of Cooma made the horrifying discovery that the entire herd of eleven had been killed and left to waste in Kosciuszko National Park.
Bullet holes were discovered in their heads and bodies. At the time of their deaths, at least three of the mares were pregnant.
National Parks and Wildlife Service ‘wild horse management’ methods are reported to have been employed to protect the park’s vulnerable ecosystem (NPWS).
For years, the existence of wild horses in the national park has been a source of contention between brumby fans and ecologists.
Ms. Brown, however, told the Daily Mail Australia that a brumby census is necessary since the projected total number of wild horses in the park is inaccurate.
“We require a comprehensive brumby population count.” The entire concept for catching and removing our brumbies and wild horses is predicated on a false population estimate, she claimed.
Michelle and Ian Brown of Cooma made on Sunday that the entire herd of 11 brumbies had been killed and left to decay in Kosciuszko National Park with bullet holes in their skulls and bodies.
Two photographers claim that a herd of brumbies they have been documenting for years has been cruelly killed and that culling procedures are based on “lies and misinformation.”
National Parks and Wildlife Service and those associated with the eradication of the brumbies claim that there are 14,000 horses in the area, but in reality there are less than 1,500, and possibly even less.
I honestly don’t believe there are more than 1,500 brumbies up there, as I’ve been trekking in the region for years and years. All of it is founded on lies and propaganda. Us natives adore the brumbies.
Ms. Brown stated that she and her boyfriend spent the past week with the brumby tribe and that she cannot stop thinking about what transpired.
A representative for the NSW NPWS told the Daily Mail Australia that the specific control measures employed would not be made public, but that “standards are being met.”
A NPWS spokeswoman stated, “NPWS is executing wild horse control in compliance with the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan.”
The Plan strikes a balance between protecting the cultural significance of wild horses and preserving the extraordinary conservation assets of the park.
To safeguard the safety of NSW NPWS employees, contractors, and tourists, as well as the wellbeing of wild horses, operational specifics regarding control will not be made public.
A representative for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) told the Daily Mail Australia that the details of the control mechanisms would not be made public, but that animal welfare standards were being met.
They claim that all procedures adhere to the greatest possible animal welfare standards.
Under the Kosciuszko Wild Heritage Act, a strategy was introduced in November 2021 to limit the brumby population in the park.
The act stipulates that it will safeguard the wild horse population of 3,000 horses in 32% of the park’s area.
The act declares that it “maintains the park’s natural benefits by lowering the number of wild horses from an estimated 14,380 to 3,000 by June 30, 2027.” 68 percent of the park will be devoid of wild horses in accordance with the plan.
Ray Hadley, a veteran broadcaster, commented on the death of the brumbies on Tuesday morning on radio 2GB, stating that he had knowledge that the killings were not ‘clean kills’ and that many of the animals died from bleeding out.
Mr. Hadley stated that he attempted to reach the Environment Minister of New South Wales, James Griffin, but that he was “strangely unreachable.”
“Did you slaughter the horses in the manner that has been described to me? Did you abandon them to die?”
Mr. Hadley inquired during his morning show.
Well, I’ve got an advice for you, James – I don’t believe I’ve ever spoken with you personally or on-air – but I have a history of not giving up over the past 25 or 30 years.
“I’ll drive you crazy until the election, demanding to know if National Parks and Wildlife had anything to do with the massacre of these 11 horses, including mares in foal.”
It “recognizes and preserves wild horse heritage values in Kosciuszko National Park and permits active management of the wild horse population to limit their influence on the park’s vulnerable ecology”
The eradication of wild horses shall adhere to the highest standards of animal welfare.