Brumby Culling and Its Devastating Impact on Alpine Dingoes
In the wilds of the Australian Alps, where the landscape stretches endlessly, a battle rages for the survival of some of the country’s most iconic species. At the heart of this conflict lies the alpine dingo, a vital apex predator. Yet, ironically, the very measures being taken to protect the environment are now pushing this species to the brink of extinction.
The 2024 Brumby cull in New South Wales officially began in September 2024. This culling program, which is part of ongoing efforts to control the wild horse population in the Snowy Mountains region, was authorised as part of the state’s management strategy to mitigate the environmental damage caused by Brumbies. The cull is focused on removing large numbers of Brumbies from sensitive alpine areas, where their presence has contributed to soil erosion, damage to native vegetation, and negative impacts on local wildlife. To address this, the New South Wales and Victorian governments have initiated a controversial culling program.
Dingoes are the apex predators of the alpine ecosystem. For thousands of years, they’ve maintained balance by controlling populations of smaller predators and herbivores. The same government agencies that justify the Brumby cull as an effort to protect the environment are simultaneously using 1080 poison to kill the very predators that play a critical role in maintaining that environment. The hypocrisy is staggering. On one hand, they’re killing feral horses to "restore balance." On the other, they’re using toxic baits to eliminate native dingoes, which have been part of this ecosystem for millennia.
It’s a deeply troubling contradiction. You can’t claim to be protecting the environment by killing one invasive species, the Brumby, while simultaneously poisoning another native predator, the dingo. Dingoes are crucial to the health of the ecosystem—they control populations of feral animals, like foxes and cats, that are far more damaging to native wildlife than Brumbies ever were. By using 1080 poison on dingoes, we’re not only jeopardising their survival, we’re also disrupting the entire ecological balance.
The use of 1080 poison against dingoes is not just cruel—it’s counterproductive. By removing these apex predators, we’re allowing smaller invasive species to proliferate. Foxes, feral cats, and rabbits, which dingoes naturally control, wreak havoc on vulnerable native wildlife, pushing endangered species to the brink of extinction. The real threat to the environment isn’t the Brumby; it’s the unchecked spread of these other feral animals.
Dingoes that lose their natural food sources are more likely to prey on livestock in surrounding areas. This increases the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict, further fuelling calls for the culling of dingoes. It’s a vicious cycle—one that undermines the very goal of environmental protection.
We need a better approach. If we’re serious about restoring balance to the environment, we need to manage Brumby populations without resorting to culling. We can look at alternatives, like fertility control or relocation. And we need to protect dingoes—our native predators—not poison them. It’s the only way we can preserve the biodiversity of these unique landscapes.
The solution lies in a more sustainable approach—one that works to manage Brumbies and protect dingoes, rather than pit them against each other in a battle of survival.