Kaimanawa horses muster draws protest

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 687, 20 May 1997, Page 1

Kaimanawa horses muster draws protest

Members of 'KHAN' the Kaimanawa Horse Action Network and the Wild Horse Trust mounted a protest at the main entrance to Waiouru Military Camp over the weekend to protest at the muster of wild horses. "Slaughtering 1200 horses is an act of aggression", said Wild Horse Trust spokesperson Martine van Hove. She also quoted expert Kevin Stafford as saying that "reducing the population of horses to 500 is quite certainly leading to total extinction". She said the Kaimanawa horses are listed with the Food and Agriculture! Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations as an endangered species as there are less than 1000 breeding females, in contradiction to published information from DoC. Both interest groups are outraged at Department of Conservation's (DoC's) initial management plan which they say indicates that DoC will get rid of the horses if they can't sustain the reduced horse population. "The horses are a symbol of freedom," said Ms van Hove who likened their symbolic value to that of the Maori's struggle to regain their land. Despite the widespread publicity about the muster, protesters say they are annoyed at the secrecy surrounding the muster and expressed concern that the only ones not discussing this event are DoC staff. In spite of being advised of the appropriate procedure for being included at DoC press meetings, the protesters were not invited on Monday for an information day.

Attempts by authorised press correspondents to have the protesters included were denied, said Ms van Hove. Two members of the protesters' groups were granted visitor's permits by

the New Zealand Army on Saturday but were subsequently issued with trespass notices after being found in a yard at the muster site in the Three Kings area of the Kaimanawa ranges. The visitor's permits apparently did not extend into this area. Ms van Hove said that she has written to Commander Turn to Page 2

Kaimanawa horses muster draws protest

From page 1 Army Training Group (ATG) Colonel lan Marshall and has recei ved a verbal comment from his duty field officer, Major Chris Lawrence, that the commander is taking legal advice regarding this matter. Further action occurred on Sunday afternoon when two trucks filled with horses left Waiouru en-route for Taihape. One truck was stopped for an hour with protesters chained to its sides, according to Ms van Hove. They eventually let the truck continue on to Taihape so that the horses could be unloaded before dark. The protesters were permitted into the holding area to check the horses' condition. Ms van Hove expressed the protest groups' concerns that the horses may be exported to countries permitting human consumption of horse meat. She said that the Kaimanawa horses have been exposed to 1080 poison and that if this knowledge was made readily available it would spoil New

Zealand's clean, green image. Public support for the protest groups position was high if the number of cars

stopping to sign their petition is a gauge. Horns were also being tooted regularly during the day, also in support of the horses.