The International Equine Community Responds To Aerial Brumby Shooting

Australian Government Orders Aerial Shooting of iconic Heritage Brumby population and equine experts from around the world react

COLDEN, NY, UNITED STATES, June 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Brumby has long colored landscapes of Australia and imaginations of people around the world. The native vs. invasive argument rages on in Australia as it does in other countries, but the fact remains, Brumbies have cultural and heritage value that should not be ignored. Brumbies are a draw for tourists, in-country and international, as are kangaroos, koalas, dingoes and platypuses, so their protection and preservation should be considered from a national economic standpoint.

According to Animals Australia, the New South Wales (NSW) government decided in 2000, to shoot Brumbies in Guy Fawkes River National Park. 600 Brumbies were killed. The mode of killing them was deemed ‘appropriate’. There were horses found alive and suffering several days after being shot. Public outrage and distress brought an end of aerial shooting until it was reintroduced in 2023.

In November 2023, 270 horses were shot in a preliminary killing program in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP). Only 43 of those were inspected on the ground by veterinarians. The rest were assessed by veterinarians from in-flight helicopters.

In 2018, The Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act was enacted by Parliament in NSW. Commonly referred to as the Brumby Bill, it was controversial from the start and was repealed in 2025, 2 years after aerial shooting from helicopters started in KNP.

Realities of aerial shooting are difficult for any horseperson, or anyone concerned with animal anti-cruelty law to accept. Being chased by helicopters terrifies horses. Shooting increases terror. Shooting running horses from flying helicopters makes a kill-shot unlikely, if not impossible. Foals, still dependent on their dams for sustenance and protection are left to starve or be attacked by predators. Wounded mares abort nearly full-term foals as they bleed out. Mares and stallions, suffering from multiple gun-shot wounds experience slow painful deaths or are eaten/killed by predators.

The government ordered aerial shooting in KNP commenced on June 9, 2026 and scheduled to continue until June 30, 2026. The reaction from the international equine community has been swift and strong.

Tom Burlinson, the Australian actor who starred in ‘The Man From Snowy River’ has expressed his outrage in newspaper and live interviews. Burlinson’s affinity for the Brumbies was evident to all who watched The Man From Snowy River. He made horsepeople around the globe aware of the Brumbies. Burlinson declared the Brumby shooting barbaric. He urged Environment Minister Penny Sharpe to end to the Brumby cull. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, he was very open about how he is strongly opposes the cull, the lack of transparency, manipulation of numbers and the cruelty. Burlinson added, “There are humane ways to manage.”

James Kleinert, film maker, author- “The Brumby is not just a “wild horse” it’s a living symbol of endurance, loyalty, and heritage. Brumbies, when allowed to live in balance, support biodiversity. Their hooves cause less damage than cattle, they open grazing pathways, encourage new growth, and help prevent bushfire fuel build-up. Like America’s Wild Horses & Burros, Brumbies are massively discriminated against by greedy interests! Save a vital part of Australian history and legacy! Save the Brumbies.”

Heather Hellyer, Colorado, USA- “The world should be outraged by the Australian government's cruel and inhumane practice of shooting beloved wild Brumbies. The international public should be letting Australia know this is entirely unacceptable. Stop visiting Australia and stop buying Australian products until the shooting stops for good."

Marilyn Nuske, lawyer, AU- “Aerial and ground shooting wild living horses is inhumane and barbaric; many, including foals, will suffer long and painful deaths. If death does not come quickly, they will suffer the final cruel blow of death by predators. We shall not give up the fight to stop the cull.”

Mel Rowe, AU- “Australians deserve honesty — and so do our Brumbies. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about trust, integrity, and the treatment of an iconic Australian animal. When data is inconsistent, oversight is avoided, population figures defy biological reality and the government shoots Brumbies from the sky, the public has every right to question what is really happening to our Brumbies.”

Sandy Sharkey, Sandy Sharkey Photography, Canada, had this to say, “The Brumbies are sentient animals with close bonds to their families. They feel joy, happiness, sorrow and grief- just as we do. This is an inconvenient fact for the Australian government, which continues to facilitate one of the most unconscionable acts of animal cruelty in history. The world is watching. As a Canadian, my hope was to travel to Australia to experience the magnificent Brumbies. It’s unfathomable to me now. But human spirit is as powerful as the wild spirit of the Brumby- and together, we will stop this tragic stain in Australian history.”

Patricia Miller, American Wild Horse Conservation, USA. “Whether in the American West, the Australian high country, or anywhere wild horses still roam, these animals deserve thoughtful management, respect, and a future on the landscapes they call home. Our commitment to them is shared. Wild horse advocates are strongest when we stand united across borders, landscapes, and causes.”

Linda Greaves, Save America’s Wild Horses, USA- “Brumbies deserve better than bullets from the sky. Aerial shooting is indiscriminate and cruel. Willingness to inflict suffering without accountability says more about our society than it does about the animals being targeted."

Craig Downer, Wildlife Ecologist, USA- “I visited Brumby herds including those in KNP. Their digestive system allows them to build humus enhancing the soil, increasing the nutrient value and ability to retain water, bolstering biodiversity, ecological balance and resilience. Horse’s grazing habits make them excellent seed spreaders and their ability to use drier forage than other herbivores helps reduce the fuel sources for wildfires. Let them live the good, free, natural lives wherein they surely will fulfill their true healing, life restoring role in a country which they have served so well.”

We urge you to call the Australian Consulate and let them know your opinions on this cull. Find your consulate: https://share.google/LRRXO7FNrVCwXgRIF
International commentary makes a difference.

Barbara C Moore
Equine Collaborative International, Inc
411eci@gmail.com

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