Feral horse numbers surge in Kosciuszko national park after pause in aerial culling, survey shows

Feral horse numbers in the Kosciuszko national park are estimated by the NSW government to be as high as 16,411. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Feral horse numbers in the Kosciuszko national park have surged, with new survey data estimating populations climbed by thousands after the New South Wales government paused aerial culling in 2025.

Conservation advocates say the rebound in numbers demands an urgent rethink of retention zones that allow thousands of horses to remain in the park.