Feral horse myths and misconceptions – when the push for environmental protecting becomes a culture war.

You are invited to join us for a drink at the urban watering hole.

When: 6.30pm on Tuesday 16 July.
Where: Botany View Hotel, King St, Newtown.
Presenter: Richard Swain (Reclaim Kosci campaigner and Invasive Species Council indigenous ambassador).
Cost: Free.
Hosted by: Royal Zoological Society of NSW and Botany View Hotel.

Kosciuszko is one of Australia’s most loved and iconic national parks. Home to Australia’s highest mountains, rugged ranges, remote wilderness and fragile alpine habitat, it is being overrun by an ever-increasing population of more than 6000 feral horses.

The science is overwhelmingly clear – our Australian Alps are not suited to feral horses. From the anemone buttercup to the corroboree frog and the galaxid fish, the broad-toothed rat and the pygmy possum — feral horses are pushing 34 threatened alpine species towards extinction. Their numbers need to be reduced.

And yet the NSW government last year decided to turn our beloved Kosci into a free-ranging paddock for feral horses, protecting them in the park under law at the expense of Kosci’s natural heritage values.

Join Richard Swain, an Aboriginal man and one of Australia’s most experienced river guides, as he takes you on a journey combining recent science and Aboriginal insights to combat the myths and misconceptions surrounding feral horses in the Snowy Mountains. Having spent his life in the Snowy Mountains, Richard is a passionate advocate for the protection of Kosciuszko National Park.

* Drinks and food can be purchased from the bar.