Reclaim Kosci

02/08/2025

Taken near the junction of the Snowy River & Spencers Creek late last week, this photo shows the Snowy Mountains are still doing their eco-job of storing water. In this image, the obvious water-storing mechanism is snow. Hidden from the camera are the alpine humus soils, peatlands and delicate sphagnum moss that soak up water for later slow release. Kosciuszko National Park gives us both natural water management services and beautiful scenery; all we need to do in return is protect its natural processes. Image: Mike Bremers.

31/07/2025

Post #5 in our rebuttal series. Should we feel obliged to keep feral horses in Kosciuszko because some horses from the Kosciuszko region might have been used in World War 1?

While many Australians remember with gratitude the service given by animals in war, most of us do not extend that gratitude to possibly-related animals born several generations later. Dogs served in World War 1 as guards and messengers. Cats were common mascots. Australia's Imperial Camel Corps rode to war on camels. The debt of Australians to animals that served in war is appropriately honoured on occasions such as the National Day for War Animals (24th February). It is not a reason for special protection of animals living today - such as cats or camels or horses - that have escaped into Australia’s wild places and are causing environmental damage. Image info is in a Comment.

27/07/2025

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23/07/2025

Post # 4 in our responses to brumby advocate claims. Some have claimed that the number of bullets used in aerial control of feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park means the horses suffered for 'hours or days'.

This rather plain looking report (pictured, with link below) should reassure anyone with such concerns. The report contains the observations of two independent vets.
It states that the average number of bullets fired was 7.5. The firing of multiple shots has been misinterpreted to mean that it was the last shot that produced death or unconsciousness in the target animal.

The timing records show that it was the first or an early shot that produced death or unconsciousness. The vets observed that time to unconsciousness or death was sometimes instant, with an average of 5 seconds, with the longest observed time being 53 seconds. The Kosciuszko shooters were thus able to halve the average time to death or unconsciousness found in similar studies of aerial shooting of feral pigs and fallow deer (11.5 seconds and 11 seconds).

Why were additional shots fired after apparent death or unconsciousness was observed? As insurance - to make sure that an unconscious horse did not regain consciousness.

The vets were impressed by the results; they described the program as 'notable for an absence of adverse animal events, likely influenced by a deliberate overkill policy which resulted in a comparatively high number of shots fired at each animal'.

When the unpleasant task of killing an animal has to be done, it should be done as humanely as possible. And in this case it is.

The full report is available at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/kosciuszko-national-park-feral-horse-aerial-shooting-animal-welfare-assessment.pdf

18/07/2025

The deep snows of Kosciuszko National Park hide many secret lives. Pygmy possums have dropped their body temperature to around 2 degrees to hibernate. Broad-toothed rats have set aside territorial disputes to cuddle up in grass nests, keeping each other warm. Anemone buttercups, having formed their buds in autumn, are poised to be among the first plants to flower when the snow melts. This complex and delicate ecosystem is so worth protecting! Image 16/7/2025: Heading up to Guthega Trig on snow shoes, by Mike Bremers.

17/07/2025

Check out these incredible before and after photos from Barrington Tops after feral horses and pigs were removed by NSW National Parks.

09/07/2025

The Thredbo River this morning is looking particularly beautiful. For the 11,000+ people who expressed their affection for Kosciuszko National Park by signing the petition to repeal the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act, scenery like this is the Park's way of saying thank you.

07/07/2025

The upper Thredbo River today was still holding snow today from last week's falls. Its muted winter shades will change in summer to a patchwork of colour - purple flowering Hovea, yellow Xerochrysum daisies and the bright varied colours of beetles in the Paropsis genus. Eulamprus kosciuskoi (alpine water skink) is hiding now under insulating sphagnum bogs, but will show its complex stripes and spots when it basks on rocks next summer. These are just a few of the native plants and animals that live in this precious high valley in Kosciuszko National Park, and that are our responsibility to protect.

03/07/2025

Post #3 in our series responding to brumby advocate claims. Some have recently claimed that 3000 feral horses in Kosciuszko is the minimum size for a genetically-viable population. But their overseas colleagues in the American Wild Horse Conservation group quote 'the minimum wild horse and b***o herd size is 150-200 animals. Within a herd this large, about 100 animals will be of breeding age. Of those 100, approximately 50 horses would comprise the genetic effective population size'.

In South Australia, the Coffin Bay Ponies survive with a herd size of 30 to 40 based on official counts or possibly 'in the hundreds' as estimated by the Australian Brumby Alliance. The Kaimanawa horses in New Zealand fluctuate between 300 and 500. Many North American mustang populations are under 100.

Why all this fuss about a 3000 number, plucked out of the air? Because the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act (KWHH Act) requires a 'number' of feral horses to be retained in the national park. The Act thus corners the NSW government into setting a target retention number. By contrast, the plan for managing horses in Barrington Tops NP, prepared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, has a sensible target of 'removing all feral horses from the park as far as practicable'.

As well as helping protect native plants and animals, Barrington Tops' near-zero target saves money. It requires only occasional checks for horses or signs of horses, instead of the expensive annual helicopter-based surveys needed to administer the KWHH Act. One more reason to repeal the KWHH Act.

02/07/2025

Northern and central Kosciuszko NP are now open for walkers and cross-country skiers, after the June closure for feral animal control. The usual winter road closures remain in place until October (for details, try Googling 'Kosciuszko alerts').

In two days of skiing, the supporter who supplied these photos saw no signs of carcasses from the control program - presumably they are now hidden by the snow and will be nothing but bones by spring.

02/07/2025

In case you missed it: check out these incredible BEFORE and AFTER photos in areas where feral horses have been removed.

Amazing to see streams and wetlands are regenerating!

Photo credit: NSW NPWS

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01/07/2025

Reclaim Kosci's photos that we recently shared showing the damage feral horses continue to wreak on the fragile local landscape of Kosciusko National Park have been featured in this Yahoo News Australia story.

"People understand that action is needed. When that petition was debated in Parliament, not a single voice in the lower house of the NSW Parliament spoke in opposition to it," Jack Gough, CEO of the Invasive Species Council said. "That tells you how much has changed.

"There is a tiny minority [of people opposed]. The local members covering the park both want this changed. Yes, we know that lots of issues can seem like they have a loud voice online, but out in the Australian public, people just want action.

"They understand it's difficult, they understand it's not pleasant—but they back the future of our native wildlife and Australian landscapes over protecting a feral animal in a national park."

They've prompted a public call-out, with Australians urged to take part in a historic movement.