Aerial shooting approved to cull brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park - Snowy Mountains Magazine

The NSW Government has adopted an amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan which authorises aerial shooting as an approved method of reducing the number of wild horses in the park. The government said the change is essential to protecting the park’s threatened native wildlife and ecosystems. Following careful consideration of submissions, Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe has determined the amendment is necessary to help save endangered and vulnerable species and their habitat, protect soil and waterways and conserve cultural heritage. “There are simply too many wild horses in Kosciuszko National Park,” said minister Sharpe. “This was not an easy decision. No one wants to have to kill wild horses. I have carefully considered all the options, and I thank everyone who took the time to make a submission.” The amendment allows the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to use aerial shooting in addition to existing control methods – such as ground shooting, and trapping and rehoming – to reach the legally-required wild horse population target of 3,000 by mid-2027. The proposal to amend the Plan was recently put on exhibition for community input and attracted 11,002 submissions. Advice from the Wild Horse Community Advisory Panel and National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council was also considered. Of the submissions which commented on aerial shooting, 82 per cent expressed support for the control method being included in the Plan.

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