Attributed to Mhairi Roberts, Policy and Advocacy Manager, RSPCA Victoria
RSPCA Victoria acknowledges that in some circumstances it is necessary to manage populations of wild animals, native or introduced. However, any management measures undertaken must recognise that whether an animal is native, introduced or viewed as a ‘pest’ does not affect its capacity to experience pain, suffering or distress.
Feral horses are not a natural part of the Australian ecosystem and can cause severe damage to alpine and sub-alpine environments, including the destruction of habitat critical to many native wildlife and plant species. A comprehensive aerial survey across the Australian Alps in late-2019 found a significant increase in feral horse numbers, 2 to 3 times higher than in the previous survey (estimates rising from 9,000 to 24,000 horses over five years).
The 2019-20 bushfires caused major losses of high-country native wildlife, native plants and habitats which is why management of the impacts introduced animals are having on these ecosystems is now critical.
Any management of introduced species should only be undertaken if it is likely that the aims of the program can be achieved. The methods used must be humane, target-specific and effective.
Based on the evidence of the impact feral horses are having in the Victorian Alps and the relative humaneness of ground shooting (1) RSPCA Victoria supports lethal ground control, using professional shooters with appropriate independent audits, in conjunction with non-lethal control measures such as exclosure fencing.
