Controlling feral animals and restoring native vegetation. A court will decide the future of Yuraygir’s feral horses. That matters for native plants and animals "Yuraygir National Park, on the coast of northern New South Wales on Yaegl and Gumbaynggirr Country, is a stunning landscape where you can see coastal emus and spot migrating whales from the shore." "It is also home to a small feral horse population that is now at the centre of a legal dispute. The final hearing, taking place on Wednesday, could have repercussions far beyond feral horses." "However, there is a strong ecological case for controlling feral horses. As large, hard-hooved, introduced grazing animals, feral horses can inflict significant damage to Australian ecosystems. They trample plants, compact soils, erode stream banks and disturb wetlands. This endangers many native species that rely on these fragile habitats, some of which live nowhere else. So feral horses must be managed with the same planning and urgency as other invasive animals." "For now, we await a decision from the NSW Land and Environment Court. But to safeguard this sacred landscape, we must protect it from the hard hooves and hungry mouths of feral horses." >> https://theconversation.com/a-court-will-decide-the-future-of-yuraygirs-feral-horses-that-matters-for-native-plants-and-animals-290522 #biodiversity #NationalParks #Yuraygir #Gumbaynggirr #FeralHorses #legacy #InvasiveSpecies Image: emu eggs