Assignment 1: Biodiversity Issue – Tanya Williams
Feral Horses: a cultural icon or an environmental nightmare.
With the population of brumbies growing, the Victorian government are looking to find alternative ways to manage the numbers of feral horses that are living within the Alpine environment. However, when Australians think about wild horses, they associate them with the Australian identity as they have helped form our ‘outback’ culture. This has caused debate between environmentalists and the community as to what type of management projects should be taken to control the number of brumbies within national parks.
Australian culture and wild horses
The Victorian Brumby Association (VNBA) view wild horses as a major component within …show more content…
Exclusion fences involves erecting a fence around an area of the environment that needs protecting from invasive species. In 2002 Parks Victoria assembled fences around two threatened sub-alpine bogs. Although these fences have been damaged by park visitors and feral horses, evidence indicates that these fences work successfully as they prevent feral horses and cattle from entering the area when fences are in good condition. However, feral horses have been known to enter these areas when the fence in damaged, making it hard to monitor.
Mustering involves feral horses being gathered by helicopters, motorbikes or on horseback where they are lead into traps or paddocks. Trapping is a method that is used to catch feral horses within the alpine environment. It involves luring horses into a fenced area with a ‘number of one-way gates and ramps’ which inhibits them from leaving. After these horses are trapped some are rehomed to reserves or horse sanctuaries but most usually end up in abattoirs. The horses are also sometimes shot within the trap yard if they have no access to
Feral Horses: a cultural icon or an environmental nightmare.
With the population of brumbies growing, the Victorian government are looking to find alternative ways to manage the numbers of feral horses that are living within the Alpine environment. However, when Australians think about wild horses, they associate them with the Australian identity as they have helped form our ‘outback’ culture. This has caused debate between environmentalists and the community as to what type of management projects should be taken to control the number of brumbies within national parks.
Australian culture and wild horses
The Victorian Brumby Association (VNBA) view wild horses as a major component within …show more content…
Exclusion fences involves erecting a fence around an area of the environment that needs protecting from invasive species. In 2002 Parks Victoria assembled fences around two threatened sub-alpine bogs. Although these fences have been damaged by park visitors and feral horses, evidence indicates that these fences work successfully as they prevent feral horses and cattle from entering the area when fences are in good condition. However, feral horses have been known to enter these areas when the fence in damaged, making it hard to monitor.
Mustering involves feral horses being gathered by helicopters, motorbikes or on horseback where they are lead into traps or paddocks. Trapping is a method that is used to catch feral horses within the alpine environment. It involves luring horses into a fenced area with a ‘number of one-way gates and ramps’ which inhibits them from leaving. After these horses are trapped some are rehomed to reserves or horse sanctuaries but most usually end up in abattoirs. The horses are also sometimes shot within the trap yard if they have no access to