Brumby war soars as Kosciuszko National Park plan gets under way

A video posted to the Snowymountainsbrumby Action Group Facebook page shows several women dismantling infrastructure used to trap horses.

Officers attached to the Monaro Police District will investigate the incident, with those responsible for pulling down National Parks and Wildlife Service property making no attempt to conceal their identity.

Horse protection advocates have reported an increase in trap yards in the park since the implementation of the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan began.

The NSW government has committed to reduce the more than 20,000 feral horses estimated to be in the park to 3000 within the next five years.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment is investigating the footage, after members of the group posted support for further sabotage of the invasive species control plan.

Horses will be trapped and re-homed, shot in the park, or sent to an abattoir under the plan approved by former NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro in November.

Environmental groups argue the plan, which has ruled out aerial shooting in its effort to contain the brumbies to around one third of the park, doesn't go far enough to protect native species.

Reclaim Kosci has condemned the act, claiming vandalism of trap yards can incur a fine of more than $3000 under the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation Act 2019.

Spokesman for the group set up to fight the former Brumby protection policy, James Trezise, said the rhetoric they'd observed on social media indicated tension in the community was rising.

Previously death threats have been made against people advocating control of the brumbies, including to park rangers, local business operators and their families.

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Mr Trezise said while their was no evidence horses had been killed thus far, the division between protecting the park and protecting the brumbies had always created a tense environment.

"There are people who can't accept that horses need to come out and so there are certain elements that are escalating," he said.

NSW Parks and Wildlife Services would not confirm this week whether the feral horse cull had begun, refusing to comment on operational details.

A department spokesperson said it would report all instances of damage and other unacceptable behaviour to NSW police.

Despite assurances an investigation was underway, the video remained on Facebook on Wednesday evening, gaining further support.

"Well you can just understand how this constant trapping is effecting good caring people," one group member wrote.

"We have all had enough of being ignored, action is required to put a stop to this cruelty."

Another user called for action against the park rangers responsible for trapping the horses.

"Weld them into a jail and stick the cruel lying murderous [murderers] in it," they said.

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