Can Wild Horses Help Fight Wildfires?
Keeping the balance between herbivore prey and predators may be the key to managing catastrophic wildfires. Continue reading
Category: News
Rethinking the mantra of biodiversity: Why the past should not determine the future
from the ABC Website The New South Wales state government has recently commenced the aerial killings of 14,000 feral horses residing in Kosciuszko National Park. The goal is to meet the legislated requirement of reducing the number of horses in the park to 3,000 by 2027. This legislation was passed because NSW has the legal mandate of protecting biodiversity and because the activities of feral horses are classified as a threat to native species, such as Corroboree frogs and broad-tooth rats. This policy illustrates the normative assumptions of conservation policy-makers, which are well-captured in Michael Soulé’s famous article, “What Is… Continue reading
Live Stream of Animal Welfare inquiry into proposed aerial shooting of brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park
The second day of hearings by the NSW Legislative Committee on Animal Welfare will be Live Streamed on Monday 5 February 2024. You can watch live at the link below: In September 2023 ABA posted info on the Committee’s the call for submissions by 13 October. ABA President Jill Pickering and Vice President Nikki Alberts gave evidence before the Animal Welfare Committee, chaired by the Hon Emma Hurst MLC, on 18 December 2023 and you can view a video of that day’s live stream using the links below: Continue reading
Horses, camels and deer get a bad rap for razing plants – but our new research shows they’re no worse than native animals
Robert Sleep/AAP Large introduced herbivores such as feral horses and camels are often seen as “invasive” species which damage native plants. My colleagues and I published new research in Science testing this assumption and found it isn’t true. Instead, both native and introduced species of plant-eating megafauna (weighing over 45 kilos) have similar impacts on plants. The effects of introduced megafauna on plants can drive negative public sentiment towards the species. It’s time to change how we think of these animals. ……………………… The double standard of ‘harm’ It can be a shock to see the impact of feral pigs, deer,… Continue reading
ABA appalled at NSW Government decision to introduce aerial shooting of Brumbies
Australian Brumby Alliance Inc. Media Release 27th October 2023 The Australian Brumby Alliance (ABA) is appalled at the decision by Minister Sharpe to amend the Wild Horse Management Plan and overturn the NSW ban on aerial shooting of wild horses. In the wake of this decision, the ABA calls on Minister Sharpe to commit to a balanced approach to management, including a strengthened commitment to passive trapping and rehoming as the most humane management method. “Aerial culling was banned because evidence from Guy Fawkes National Park massacre and other locations showed it was a cruel and imprecise way to manage… Continue reading
