In Kosciuszko National Park, Australia, recent government actions have led to a significant reduction in feral horse populations—from about 17,000 to around 3,000—by removing their heritage status and allowing aerial culling. This shift aligns horse management with that of other invasive species, aiming to mitigate the extensive ecological damage horses have caused. Feral horses have degraded vegetation, soil structure, peatlands, and waterways, trampling fragile alpine ecosystems and threatening native species that depend on intact habitats. Their heavy grazing and hard hooves disrupt water retention in peat soils, leading to broader ecosystem impacts including muddied streams and destabilized creek banks.

Early observations suggest that with fewer horses, the landscape is beginning to recover: vegetation is regrowing in previously bare areas, creek banks are stabilizing, and dangerous horse encounters on roads are decreasing. However, alpine ecosystems heal slowly, and full restoration will take decades, requiring long-term monitoring and targeted restoration efforts. The removal of legal protections for horses now offers a realistic path for ecological recovery in Kosciuszko, balancing heritage values with the urgent need to protect and restore this fragile environment.