There is too much sentimentality about wild animals. It's hard for most people who have never seen a brumby outside of the film version of The Man From Snowy River - and they could have been domestic horses stirred up a bit. But sharks! Sharks should be killed on sight.

Not for me. I don't go into the sea. But the many people who do should be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of swimming without the fear of being ripped to pieces by a creature that is of no use to anyone.

Where's the logic in protecting killer sharks especially Great Whites, killer snakes, killer crocs, but culling wild brumbies who might cause minimal damage compared to the ridiculous Snowy 2 project? (Rhetorical question, there is none, and it's a barbaric way to do it, shooting galloping herds from a helicopter).

Seriously ttbn?? “… a creature that is of no use to anyone …” Is that really how tenuous your grasp of the natural world is?

Not everything is of direct use to us ignorant homo sapiens. However everything is of equal value somewhere. To believe otherwise is the extremity of arrogance.

Those pushing hard for total eradication as opposed to sometimes appropriate population reduction of brumbies from areas of public land where they have long been present are one example of the quote "Fools who don't know or use the bush are Fools who think they know better than the people who live there." Which is largely some from cities whose views are often ideological rather than based on informed evidence. Now consider why there is overall strong support for maintaining sustainable populations of brumbies by local residents in areas they have long been present. Remember locals are main ones who have to LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES of management policies. Including dealing with wildfires. People familiar with use of horses as lawnmowers are well aware they are among the LEAST destructive grazing animals and often perform an important fire hazard reduction role eating grass and knocking some down. Especially close around trees and along fence lines where fires often spread from. Then the single large hoof causes less ground damage relative to weight on it than cloven ones of cattle, deer and pigs. Then note horses are often falsely blamed for damage actually caused by deer and pigs. Which overall hide more during the day. Also are more inclined to frequent and damage wet areas by choice than horses. Another point is where catering for tourists is significant for local economy, brumbies are most often the first animals visitors want to see. Yet many National Park advocates claim they should be removed. One of many examples how creation of National Parks usually results in less rather than more tourists. Because reasons many visitors formerly came for are not permitted. Now consider costs of brumby removal. Which for a start, are sometimes more likely detrimental than advantageous to environment and local economy. Also very expensive for taxpayers. With aircraft - especially helicopters very costly to run. With operations carried out by government departments often costing several times as much as when done by private operator. Then what rarely occurs with other pest control. Deliberate efforts to hinder or stop operation by opponents.

I cannot believe that these people are wilfully shooting such beautiful animals. Having heard discussions on radio from people who only wanted to take photos being threatened and ordered to leave the area - ON MAIN ROADS - not private property - where these responsible people were - only makes me think that this is really an illegal operation.

Is the RSPCA involved in any of this? Are they really animal lovers?
Around the time of the Live Export problem in 2011 this is an excerpt from around that time regarding Western Australian Farmers and the RSPCA. Major disputes occurred around 2010 to 2012 when Western Australian farmers and pastoralists clashed with the RSPCA over the mass shooting and disposal of cattle during extreme, widespread droughts - "RSPCA's Role: The RSPCA was heavily involved in campaigning for the live export ban and reviewing the slaughter practices. This put them at immense odds with WA farming bodies (like the Pastoralists and Graziers Association and WAFarmers), who criticized the RSPCA for promoting policies they claimed would ruin livelihoods and force the mass destruction of healthy farm animals."

Have these responsible for the current shootings thought about what is going to happen if they kill the horses and leave them there to die? So inhumane for a start.

FERAL PIGS will frequent the area looking to eat the dead HORSE FLESH. Feral Pigs are much more of a problem than beautiful brumbies. They ruin the soil by rooting/nuzzling anything and everything they come across.

I just do not understand how these killing are allowed to get away with doing what they are doing. currently.