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

Key points

• 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.
• The government’s annual survey of feral horse populations, released Friday, estimated there were between 6,476 and 16,411 feral horses in the national park in late 2025. This is a sharp increase on the previous year – the first survey after aerial shooting of horses resumed – when numbers dropped to an estimated 2,131-5,639 horses.
• The culling of horses and other feral species will resume in the park in June.
• The NSW environment minister, Penny Sharpe, said the data confirmed the need for “continued management” to meet the legally mandated target of reducing feral horse numbers to...