Kosciuszko National Park Feral Horse Population Surges, Reigniting Management Debate
The feral horse population in New South Wales' Kosciuszko National Park has increased, according to the state government's latest annual survey. This development has prompted renewed discussion over the methods used to manage the population, which the government is legally required to reduce to 3,000 by mid-2027.
Population Estimates and Trends
The annual survey conducted in late 2025 estimated the feral horse population to be between 6,476 and 16,411 animals. This figure represents a significant increase from the 2024 estimate of 2,131 to 5,639 horses—a survey taken after aerial shooting had resumed.
"The data confirms the need for continued management to meet the legally mandated target of reducing feral horse numbers to 3,000 by mid-2027." – Environment Minister Penny Sharpe
Management Actions and Legal Framework
Under the state's Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan, the government is required to reduce the horse population. Aerial shooting was adopted as a management method in October 2023, with a culling operation resuming on June 9.
Aerial culling was paused in 2025, a factor cited in the population's rebound, and is scheduled to resume in June. The National Parks and Wildlife Service also plans to engage an independent expert to design a reproductive control trial for wild horses in the park. The Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan remains in place pending an updated Kosciuszko National Park Plan.
Environmental Impact
Minister Sharpe noted "early signs of ground cover and vegetation recovery" in areas where horse numbers had been reduced, but stated that overall damage to the alpine environment remains evident.
Stakeholder Positions
Government Position
"No one wants to have to kill horses. But there are still too many in Kosciuszko National Park." – Minister Penny Sharpe
Sharpe has emphasized a cautious, evidence-based approach using the best available science.
Opposition Position
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor criticized the aerial culling program as "inhumane and unnecessary." Speaking at a rally of over 100 people at the Old Kiandra Courthouse, Taylor said he supported the brumbies and opposed the cull, arguing that local communities were more effective at managing the population before bureaucracies took over in the 1980s. He called for local communities to regain control of managing the population.
Environmental Group Position
Jack Gough, CEO of the Invasive Species Council, called for annual culls and urgent amendments to the state's feral horse management plan. He argued that retention zones covering 32% of the park, which require at least 3,000 horses, should be scrapped and horse numbers reduced to as close to zero as possible.
"This is a national park not a horse paddock." – Jack Gough, Invasive Species Council CEO