More than 10,000 feral horses will be removed from the Kosciuszko National Park within six years under a new management plan introduced by the NSW government.
Departing Monaro MP and former deputy premier John Barilaro used his valedictory speech on Wednesday to reveal the plan had been finalised, which would see horse numbers reduced in the park from more than 14,000 to 3000 by 2027.
Feral horse numbers in the Kosciuszko National Park will be reduced substantially under a new government management plan.Credit:Justin McManus
An original management plan for the southern NSW national park proposed reducing the number of horses to 600, but was met with fierce opposition from Mr Barilaro, who said the region needed to preserve the heritage of the animals.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said the new plan would cut the amount of land the horses occupy to 32 per cent, with the animals to be removed from about 21 per cent of the region.
The horses will either be shot, sent to knackeries or re-homed after being caught in passive traps, according to the government. Aerial shooting has been ruled out.
Mr Kean said the plan had been delivered after consultation with experts, Indigenous stakeholders and 4000 public submissions.
“Today we release a plan that will finally provide protection for the numerous threatened species and the suite of important alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems that call Kosciuszko National Park home,” Mr Kean said.
Environmentalists have long argued for a significant reduction of feral horses in the park because they destroy local habitat and damage local waterways.
Mr Barilaro said he believed the plan struck the right balance between protecting the park and maintaining its heritage value.
Feral horses to be cut by thousands in Kosciuszko National Park
Source: Philippines Alive
