Luke Grant is joined by Justine Curatolo, Co-ordinator of the Protect Our Heritage Brumby Campaign, about the planned mass shooting of 5,000 brumbies Eastern Victorian Alps this Monday even though rehoming groups and concerned animal welfare activists say that a management plan for the Brumbies is easily achievable.

Brumby rehoming groups have presently offered to take in any Brumbies needing to be removed, but Parks Victoria (the organisation legislated with protecting the National parks and all who reside within) have declined these offers and instead have opted to shoot the Brumbies dead, based on inaccurate studies highlighted in the recent Australian Brumby Alliance court hearing, and which are inconsistent with Park Victoria’s ‘Statement of Obligations’.

It is unclear how Parks intend to humanely ground shoot a Brumby at night, or how they will locate an injured Brumby to humanely euthanase (as they are expected to) – furthermore what is the environmental impact of leaving rotting carcasses on the

ground?

It’s 20 years ago this year that over 600 Brumbies were shot in the debacle of the aerial cull in the Guy Fawkes National Park, which brought the full-scale mishandling of the removal of Brumbies from the National Parks to the public’s attention. How can a similar catastrophe be allowed to happen again?

“Parks Victoria are a State legislated body and they need to be held accountable, the Plan was developed with community consultation, it is unacceptable that two years later, Parks will change the Plan and add shooting when it was NOT included in the original plan,” says Ms Curatolo.

The Brumbies of the Bogong High Plains carry the oldest horse bloodlines known in Australia – if this shooting is carried out these bloodlines could be lost forever.

The members of the Protect Our Heritage Brumby Campaign are concerned that this action will pave the way for other States to act with disregard for the community and the Brumby and see many of our Heritage Brumbies needlessly killed.

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