Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
You've read about the brumby situation...about how their life is being threatened...about how they're going to be shot by helicopter...did you think it would get better?
I know I did.
But instead it has gotten worse. Here is the latest news about the brumbies on Google:
Horse head count a goer
By LINDA SOUTER
28nov06
ENVIRONMENT Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr yesterday announced a survey to record the number of brumbies in the Clemant State Forrest, but did not rule out slaughtering the wild animals.
The aerial population survey of brumbies is planned for December and the results will be used to decide the fate of the horses.
The Government had intended to carry out an aerial cull of more than 200 wild horses in Paluma Range National Park this month but backed away from using sharpshooters in helicopters after animal welfare groups protested about the culling method, saying there were no guarantees of quick kills from the air.
"I stress that culling will be used only as a last resort to control feral horse numbers and will be done under the close eye of the RSPCA to ensure there are no animal welfare issues," Ms Nelson-Carr said.
"The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service does understand what these horses mean to a lot of people.
"I've asked for the QPWS and neighbouring property owners to make a decision on the options to remove the horses by early next year.
"Any action taken to remove the animals will be done in the most humane way possible.
"Control methods such as mustering and trapping are used wherever practical."
Ms Nelson-Carr said feral horses caused a lot of environmental damage in national parks and to neighbouring grazing properties.
"They also are a threat to public safety on some roads through parks and forests because they could collide with cars, causing vehicle and personal injury," she said.
Ms Nelson-Carr said the aerial survey was needed to accurately gauge the number of wild horses because many parts of the Paluma Range National Park were inaccessible to humans.
But Rollingstone grazier Bill Hankin, a northern neighbour of the Clemant State Forest, said the horses should be left alone.
He said claims by Ms Nelson-Carr that the animals had caused environmental damage were rubbish.
He said his son Bill Jr, an archaeologist and anthropologist, had conducted a scientific study and had found enough evidence to show that man over the past 100 years was to blame for the denigration, not the animals.
Mr Hankin said the brumbies were an important part of North Queensland's history and should be protected.
He said his son had recently written to Ms Nelson-Carr wanting heritage listing for the horses but had not received a reply.
"We want to know what scientific reports they had to back up culling the animals."
Mr Hankin said he had a challenge to issue Ms Nelson-Carr.
"Bring out a scientist who is in favour of killing them. Better still, how about a national debate on television between my son and your scientist?" he said.
Ms Nelson-Carr said expressions of interest would soon be called for mustering in Clemant State Forest and an advertisement would be placed in the Townsville Bulletin.
Home Page
