ACT Parks and Conservation has thrown its weight behind concerns that heavy-hoofed feral animals in the Australian Alps national parks pose a danger to the natural environment.
Director of ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Daniel Iglesias said the science was clear that feral horses, as well as other pests such as pigs and deer, posed a major threat to the unique environment of the Australian Alps.
The issue is of interest following the passage of new laws in NSW to protect feral horses in the Kosciuszko National Park due to their heritage value.
Mr Iglesias said the ACT was part of a cross-border program to protect the Australian high country, which includes the Cotter Catchment in Namadgi National Park.
“The Catchment is a main source of drinking water in the ACT,” Mr Iglesias said.
“Nationally, snowmelt and rainfall flowing from the Australian Alps contributes more than 30 per cent of inflows into the Murray–Darling system, and even more in dry years, despite covering just 0.2 per cent of the continent.”
He said heavy-hoofed animals damaged waterways, caused erosion and trampled habitat, and threatened water quality in the Murray–Darling Basin.
“The northern corroboree frog, which lives in the moist alpine bogs of the ACT high country, is just one of the critically endangered animals whose habitat is damaged by hard-hoofed animals, including horses,” Mr Iglesias said.
“These feral animals do not recognise State boundaries, but it’s important to know we have been effective in excluding horses from moving from Kosciuszko into the ACT’s high country to date.”
He said because Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent, the Australian Alps are crucial as a catchment.
“In the ACT, we are focused on ensuring our sensitive and critical water catchment is protected from the harmful impact of feral animals, including horses,” Mr Iglesias said.
