The Invasive Species Council, host of the Reclaim Kosci campaign, has issued the following statement in response to ABC TV Four Corners “Feral” episode that aired on Monday night:
“The NSW Government must get on with the task of rapidly removing feral horses from Kosciuszko and show zero tolerance for any attempts to sabotage control efforts,” Invasive Species Council CEO Andrew Cox said.
“After years of excuses, debates and delays we finally have a plan and now it’s time to get on with the job of removing out-of-control feral horses from Kosciuszko National Park.
“Any threats to disrupt park operations by brumby activists should be dealt with by the full force of the law.
“The consequences of failing to take action on feral horses are catastrophic for native ecosystems and wildlife, like the threatened broad-toothed mouse.
“We absolutely condemn the threatening rhetoric and behaviour used by some brumby activists in this debate and highlighted on Four Corners.
“Scientists, environmentalists and park managers have copped the brunt of the abuse from extremists who seem unable to accept the reality that feral horses need to be removed from the park,” Mr Cox said.
ISC Indigenous Ambassador and Snowy Mountains local Richard Swain also featured on the Four Corners program and has been subject to threats and abuse for speaking up to protect Kosciuszko.
“The next decade is critical for Kosciuszko National Park. If we don’t start getting horses out now it’s a death sentence for our native wildlife and for Country,” Mr Swain said.
“We need management based on science and evidence, not fairy tales and poems. Aerial and ground culling are both humane and effective ways of removing horses from the park.
“There is no time left for political cowardice. We need to see action and that means removing horses from the park and standing up to these threatening tactics,” Mr Swain said.
I have been going through the 4 Corners “Feral”program again. have written two sets of comments and lost them ,,, didn’t realise that I have to remove the word “email” when I type mine in.
My very brief comment after two others lost to the never/never – Don’t give up!
I believe and so many hikers can confirm the feral pig is more of a problem and doing more damage
You should put your monies and effort into eradicating the feral pig and you would get better results
Don’t have to be a scientist to work that out
Get out of your office and you will see
Hi Kathy, Yes, feral pigs certainly do a heap of damage. As a regular hiker I can confirm that. I would regard them as doing a similar amount of damage to horses, rather than more, but apart from that I agree about their causing serious damage.
Horses and pigs (and deer) deserve equal amounts of effort. NSW Parks staff are presently permitted by the government to shoot pigs and deer from helicopter – but not horses. And in NSW, pigs and deer are fortunately not protected by a Kosciuszko Wild Pig/Deer Heritage Act. Such an Act would be as ridiculous for pigs and deer as it is for horses. Should not pigs, deer and horses, all of which damage our national parks by trampling and munching away on native plants, be treated equally i.e. all aerially culled and all not protected by special legislation?