So now we have horses over-running the VIC Alps

[rogespeed]

Word has got out the due to the destructiveness ( organic maintenance of native pasture land ) of wild horses shredding ( adding manure to the soil and suppressing weeds in open ground) of the Alpine region , all claimed 5,000 of them ( count them, nellie , buck, sammy...) within only 5,199 sq kms of high country wilderness , (only half of Melbourne metro area) the decision has been made to remove them with extreme prejudice

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/melbourne/cattleman-loses-bid-to-stop-a-massive-shooting-cull-of-wild...

I sort of think that the sight of a small herd of wild horses cavorting in a small hidden valley is somehow majestic 

[davewil1964]

The fires were crowning, so the grass wouldn't have made a difference.

[rogespeed]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

The fires were crowning, so the grass wouldn't have made a difference.

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yes , in the end we did not have the resources to put out the fires , starting in a timely while spot fires  - we as a country did not value the bush enough

[icyfroth]

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@rogespeed wrote:

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@davewil1964 wrote:

The fires were crowning, so the grass wouldn't have made a difference.

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yes , in the end we did not have the resources to put out the fires , starting in a timely while spot fires  - we as a country did not value the bush enough

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Poor Brumbys. They're such nice creatures. Then again, so are our native animals that are crowded out by introduced species.

[rogespeed]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@rogespeed wrote:

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@davewil1964 wrote:

The fires were crowning, so the grass wouldn't have made a difference.

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yes , in the end we did not have the resources to put out the fires , starting in a timely while spot fires  - we as a country did not value the bush enough

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Poor Brumbys. They're such nice creatures. Then again, so are our native animals that are crowded out by introduced species.

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1 horse per square kilometre is hardly crowding out but I think there are to many - but would be heritage status to maintain a few small herds as such speaks of a noble historic era in Australia, so a sort of preservation of history ,  - and the sight of a herd of wild horses peacefully grazing in a valley is quite magjestic with added interest as a herd behave differently than when captive 

A valuable wilderness tourism asset 

An interesting book to read is " They All Ran Wild " E.C Rolls 1969  

[rogespeed]

Seems like Parks Vic will get it's way - no mention of leaving a remnent herd or two for historic heritage sake - so with horses gone the vegetation in open glades will grow out of control then a dry year a fire will sweep through incinerating every life form , but that is natural so we can take comfort in having restored the natural order 

Maybe as a natural cultural project will could establish an authentic pre-colonial foraging group there 

 https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/parks-victoria-will-begin-shooting-brumbies-after-cattleman...

[rogespeed]

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@rogespeed wrote:

Seems like Parks Vic will get it's way - no mention of leaving a remnent herd or two for historic heritage sake - so with horses gone the vegetation in open glades will grow out of control then a dry year a fire will sweep through incinerating every life form , but that is natural so we can take comfort in having restored the natural order 

Maybe as a natural cultural project will could establish an authentic pre-colonial foraging group there 

 https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/parks-victoria-will-begin-shooting-brumbies-after-cattleman...

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Maybe as a natural cultural project will could establish an authentic pre-colonial foraging group there - actually they could hunt the horses using traditional methods and keep them under control - now that would be a great wild living tourist and  academic study ! 

[lyndal1838]

Horses are not natural to Australia.....they were introduced in 1788 with the First Fleet.

It looks like the government wants to grant your wishes.....exterminate all the Brumbies from the High Country.

Personally I would like to see some of the Brumbies rounded up and broken in....they make excellent working horses as they are very sure footed due to where they have been born.

[rogespeed]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Horses are not natural to Australia.....they were introduced in 1788 with the First Fleet.

It looks like the government wants to grant your wishes.....exterminate all the Brumbies from the High Country.

Personally I would like to see some of the Brumbies rounded up and broken in....they make excellent working horses as they are very sure footed due to where they have been born.

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Take your pick ... there is supposed to be about 25,000 of them now , no one will mind 

[rogespeed]

What i do not understand is how the horse population having been living there for the last 100 years or more suddenly increased in numbers from about 9000 to 25,000 in the last 6 years , clearly out of control, , or had the high country cattle men been culling then before that self-funded living heritage group got banished as well ? 

[*kazumi*]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Horses are not natural to Australia.....they were introduced in 1788 with the First Fleet.

It looks like the government wants to grant your wishes.....exterminate all the Brumbies from the High Country.

Personally I would like to see some of the Brumbies rounded up and broken in....they make excellent working horses as they are very sure footed due to where they have been born.

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It has been done.  Obviously there is no demand for 25000 of them.  It's sad, but they should never been released to start with.  Just like foxes, rabbits, rats,  toads..............