A new study that, for the first time in the Australian Alps, correlates horse density to environmental impact provides a more cost effective way to manage horses in the wild.
Working in two areas of the Victorian Alps, the Bogong High Plains and the Eastern Victorian Alps, the study found that less than 1% of the Bogong High Plains and less than 18% of the Eastern Victorian Alps had significant horse impacts.
Furthermore, correlation of horse density and environmental impact via a density-impact function revealed that in this study area, up to a horse density of 9 horses per square kilometer there was little or no horse impact. However, above this threshold limit impacts increased exponentially.
This indicates that culling horses in areas below the the threshold limit will have no effect on improving environmental outcomes related to horses. However, if management programs work to keep horse populations to the threshold limit, they will be more cost-effective in achieving environmental goals.
A reader-friendly overview of the study has been produced by ABA to help non-scientists understand the research methodologies and key findings of this research.
To read more on the study, use the links below to view or download the reader-friendly overview or the original paper at Wiley Online publications.
