Kaimanawa horses face cull

More Kaimanawa horses are likely to be culled this year as the Department of Conservation aims to reduce the herd size.

Previously annual musters have kept the herd down to about 500 to keep the horse population healthy and prevent damage to threatened plant species, the Dominion Post reported.

However, the Kaimanawa Wild Horse Advisory Group has now recommended the herd number be reduced to 300 over the next two years , and between 150 and 180 horses were likely to be taken in this year's muster.

The muster costs the department up to $120,000 a year and a smaller herd could mean fewer musters or a smaller number of horses taken each year.

Kaimanawa Wild Horse Welfare Trust chairman Elder Jenks said more than half of the horses taken in the annual musters since 1997 had been slaughtered and, with less people willing to adopt the wild horses, the proportion looked set to grow.

The trust is one of two that rehomes the horses. Mr Jenks said it had found homes for 157 horses in the past two years, but had had far less applications this year, only placing about 20.

Mr Jenks said horse enthusiasts were struggling with the economic downturn and many could not afford to take on an extra horse.

"To be blunt, any mustered horses that don't find homes will be shot," he said.

- NZPA