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Question and Answer Tracking Details

3387 - Environment - BRUMBY POPULATION COUNT

Roberts, Rod to the Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage
BRUMBY POPULATION COUNT

(1) At the Animal Welfare Committee's inquiry hearing on 31 July 2024 for the proposed aerial shooting of brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park, you stated that a brumby population count would be conducted in October 2024. To that end, could you please advise:

(a) when the brumby population count was completed?

(b) how many brumbies were counted in the Kosciuszko National Park?

(c) were these numbers publicly released?

(i) If not, why?
Answer -

(1) 

(a) The field work for the annual aerial population survey of wild horses in Kosciuszko National Park (the park) was completed in November 2024.

(b) The final population estimate is still being analysed, although preliminary estimates indicate around 3,000 to 4,000 wild horses in the park. These numbers may change once the independent review is complete.

(c) The final population estimate has not yet been publicly released.

(i) Analysis of the population survey results has taken longer than previous surveys, as two additional methods were trialled alongside the Distance Sampling method that has been used in previous years. As with previous surveys, the survey results are peer-reviewed by independent experts from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Once the peer review has been completed, the survey report will be finalised and made publicly available on the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website.

Question asked on 27 February 2025 (session 58-1) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 445
Answer received on 20 March 2025 and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 460

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.