In the previous edition of STEP Matters there was an article about the NSW government’s proposal and consultation on reinstating aerial culling of feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park. In October there was the pleasing announcement that the ridiculous decades-old ban on aerial shooting of feral horses is to be repealed. The latest government survey of horse numbers has actually shown a small decrease of about 7%. There is a long way to go to get down to the target of about 3,000 from the current estimate of about 17,000 horses.

This decision throws a lifeline to more than 30 endangered species that call the Australian Alps home, including the southern corroboree frog and mountain pygmy possum. Our park rangers can now finally get on with the task of removing thousands of feral horses from our fragile alpine environments – before the mountains and rivers are trampled beyond repair.