Around 19,000 “brumbies” gallop in the Kosciuszko National Park in southeastern Australia. But these Australian wild horses are considered a threat to the country’s flora and fauna. The authorities in the state of New South Wales want to reduce their number to 3,000 by mid-2027. To this end, this Friday, October 27, the resumption of their controversial massacre by helicopter was approved. Park officials already kill wild horses on the ground with guns or traps or move them to another location. But according to New South Wales Environment Minister Penny Sharpe, these measures are no longer enough. “Native species are at risk of extinction and the entire ecosystem is threatened,” due to the excessive number of wild horses, the minister said. “We have to take action.”
Brumbies are classified by authorities as pests because they increase soil erosion and kill vegetation through grazing or trampling. They also cause burrows to collapse, compete with other animals for food and shelter, and make water sources unsanitary. “It wasn’t an easy decision, no one would want to kill wild horses,” Penny Sharpe said.
The method of helicopter slaughter was briefly used as early as 2000. More than 600 wild horses were killed within three days. But in the face of public outrage, local authorities backed down. Opponents of the cull claim horses are part of Australia’s national identity.
Brumbies were celebrated by legendary bush poet Banjo Paterson (1864-1941), known for his romantic glorification of rural Australia. A rugby union team from the Australian capital Canberra is also called the “Brumbies”.
According to the Invasive Species Council, an Australian NGO that welcomed the decision made by the state of New South Wales this Friday, October 27, there are up to 400,000 wild horses in Australia. The number of brumbies in this Australian state is currently increasing by 15 to 18% per year, which is much more than the number of horses being eradicated by current eradication methods, says Jack Gough, a spokesman for this NGO.