Wild horse numbers in Kosciuszko National Park have jumped by more than 30 per cent in the past two years, a survey has found.
The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has revealed it conducted a survey in November that estimated 18,814 wild horses remained in the park.
The previous survey was conducted in 2020 following the Black Summer fires.
The Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan, which aimed to reduce the number to 3,000 by 2027, was adopted in 2021.
But the latest survey has found brumby numbers have increased by 31 per cent in the past two years, up from 14,000 horses in 2020.
"The survey has been carried out using the world's best practice and the report, authored by a leading scientist from the University of New England, has been peer reviewed by scientists from the CSIRO and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries," NSW NPWS head Atticus Fleming said.
"The scientific report indicates the best estimate is 18,814 horses and states there is 95 per cent confidence that the population is between 14,501 and 23,535 horses."
Council airs concerns
The NPWS also revealed that 859 horses were removed in the first 10 months of the plan's implementation.
The service found 68 per cent of the horse population was located in the northern area of Kosciuszko, but the increase in numbers occurred mainly in the south, probably because of good rainfall and "immigration from outside the park".
The Invasive Species Council has serious doubt that the plan to significantly reduce the brumby population by 2027 will succeed if it continues at the same rate.
"We're very concerned that without significant action to reduce feral horses urgently that the streams, wetlands and vegetation … will be damaged," acting conservation director Jack Gough said.
"It's clear from these numbers that we are off track from that commitment."
Call for aerial shooters
Aerial culling was ruled out of the management plan.
The current control methods include passive trapping, aerial and ground mustering and rehoming when possible.
Mr Gough said the management plan was a "decent attempt to overturn years of action and delay" but suggested aerial culling be reconsidered.
"When it comes to feral animal control, we need all options to be on the table and that includes aerial culling," he said.
"We know that aerial culling is safe — it can be done professionally and humanely and is one of the tools that should be available to land managers to reduce the number of feral horses in Koscisuzko National Park."
The NPWS says it will commit more resources to ensure the plan's success.
"The data provided by this survey will inform full delivery of the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan, supported by additional resources, to ensure NPWS meets the requirement of 3,000 horses by 2027," Mr Fleming said.
'More horses need to be removed'
NSW Shadow Minister for Environment Penny Sharpe said the culling of the horses was not happening fast enough.
"More horses means more damage, so we need to remove more horses from the park than are currently being removed," Ms Sharpe said.
She said NSW Labor supported the government's management plan, despite her criticisms of the rate at which it was being implemented.
"The concern here is that it's just going too slowly and, in the meantime, the damage to the park continues," she said.
NSW Environment Minister James Griffin declined an interview with the ABC but said in a statement that the government was delivering wild horse control in line with the requirements of the plan.
