Animal lovers are outraged after learning that the Australian government plans to shoot thousands of wild horses via aerial sharpshooters in helicopters. The horses, known as brumbies, reside in Kosciuszko National Park and officials want to reduce their numbers from 19,000 to approximately 3,000.
New South Wales Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said that while nobody “wants” to kill the horses, something drastic must be done.
“Threatened native species are in danger of extinction and the entire ecosystem is under threat. We must take action.”
Sharpshooters killed wild horses from helicopters back in 2000, but the cull stopped after several days when the public reacted negatively to the method officials were using.
Some people believe the horses are part of Australia’s national identity, but others, especially environmentalists, believe they are destroying native plants and causing soil erosion.
Animal lovers have pointed out that the horses shot from the air sometimes do not die immediately and they may suffer for days before succumbing to their injuries.
What do you think about the government’s directive? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
(Stock image of horses via Pixabay)
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This is NOT OKAY!!!! These are our beautiful beings and we are supposed to take care of them!! STOP THE KILLING!! These people have NO right to be in charge of these animals!! Cruel!!
Implement dart type birth control. Stop needless, senseless killing of these beautiful animals.
This is horrible! Shooting horses!!!! Please seek other alternatives than killing! Just speechless….
It is not a good way to reduce the number of wild horses. I request to Australian Government instead to kill 16000 innocents horses send them to the needy countries where many other welfare projects are going and the horses are also beneficial for anti snake venom project. I also beg you Australian Government please do not go ahead with this drastic plan. Yours sincerely Dr. Muhammad Kashif Khan
This is wicked beyond believe how on earth can this evil Australia Government instruct the killing of 16,000 thousands innocent Horses ,these beautiful animals have done nothing wrong and therefore must be allowed to live a loving peaceful life, after all Australia is one of the largest countries in the world so shortest of space should never be a problem. So l beg you Australia Government please do not go ahead with this dreadful plan. Yours Most Sincerely Anthony Black.
Cats, kangaroos, koalas, horses…. If man is unable to control them they kill them. So much for “mankind”
There are so many better options without using killing. Too bad the government is so lazy and corrupt to actually get off their dead butts and do something productive. They had plenty of time to work on solutions and be proactive. That’s why countries like Australia are in trouble. They have losers running the country and when bad things start to happen they have no plan and that will doom the country.
Disgusted about these round ups!! Please everyone at least sign all the petitions that come your way about these round-ups. I’m just livid that people would do this to horses. And, the land belongs to ALL of us-not just cattle ranchers and the horse killers.
How awful and inhumane. Turn the gun on yourselves. You’re no different than an animal abuser.
A-they could use contraception. B- horses replentish grasses and such since some seeds get pooped out. So no loss of vegetation, it’s been proven. So shame on the a**holes who think it’s better to kill them. 😠😢
EVIL from DEVIL usa
I am an Aussie, and I am disgusted by this plan. When I was a kid, Australians were kind to animals. Now that has changed. The horses are beautiful and an asset to Australia. The plants that they are destroying do not have the feelings of pain and fear that the horses do. Let them eat and trample the plants. To kill these beautiful animals is beyond cruel. I would not hesitate to shoot the rotten people who made this decision. May they rot in hell.
This is cruel, plain and simple. There are better ways to handle the overpopulation problem, if that is truly a problem, of the horses that are beings just trying to live.
God sees all Australian authorities.