HORSES STARVING TO DEATH IN NATIONAL PARK

Shocking images have emerged of dead horses littering the southern end of the Snowy River in Kosciuszko National Park. The Invasive Species Council said the horses were clearly malnourished and starving as a result of the drought before they died.
“The drought is killing these horses through starvation and malnutrition, leaving their bodies to rot on the banks of the Snowy River,” feral horse campaigner with the Invasive Species Council and river guide Richard Swain said.
Kayakers embarking on a multi-day ecotour down the lower Snowy River last week were confronted by the bodies of dead horses littering the river on the first day of the trip.
“People who come to Kosciuszko National Park to immerse themselves in one of Australia’s most stunning landscapes are being confronted by horrific scenes,” Mr Swain said.
A spokesperson from the National Parks and Wildlife Services said the deaths were investigated and an independent veterinary inspection confirmed the horses died of starvation due to the drought. The spokesperson said the area is currently particularly dry and all animals in the area are under stress due to lack of water and feed.
In June 2018, the NSW Government passed a Bill to protect feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park.
“When the country is not in drought feral horse numbers in Kosciuszko National Park grow at an average of 6-17 per cent every year,” Mr Swain said.