mmg.com.au

Parks Victoria staff are collating data from last week’s aerial survey of brumby numbers in Barmah State Park, but were unable to verify claims of that a horse was possibly hurt in the process.

On Wednesday evening, Peter Newman from Barmah Forest Preservation League notified media:

‘‘We have just received a report of a brumby seen at Hut Lake suffering a suspected broken front leg or shoulder. She is a bay mare with a young foal at foot, her front near leg (sic) appeared to be swinging and blood was seen on her shoulder. She was last seen heading towards Top Island.

‘‘The BFPL has members looking around Hut Lake and Top Island for this horse but are looking for additional support. We are trying to organise riders who can search the area.’’

Parks Victoria’s River Red Gum District chief ranger Craig Stubbings said Parks staff had searched immediately for the reportedly stricken horse as soon as they were notified.

‘‘We were aware of the report and we sent staff out but were not able to identify an injured animal,’’ Mr Stubbings said.

He said the findings of the survey would be fine-tuned by desk work, now the helicopter work and aerial photography and brumby counting was over.

‘‘Parks Victoria staff will now go through the photographs that were taken to make sure there is no doubling up of the horses counted,’’ Mr Stubbings said.

‘‘The survey was done using a scientifically devised program, and following the criteria laid out we’re now looking at any identifiable marks on the horses through photographs.’’

Before the aerial survey began, the preservation league had expressed anxiety about the impact of the helicopters on wildlife.

Mr Newman said on Friday riders were still out looking for the brumby mare with the aim of helping the foal.

He said he saw a fair bit of kangaroo movement during the survey.

‘‘On Tuesday I was going through Goose Swamp with (Member for Rodney) Paul Weller looking at the fire danger — which I have to tell you is absolutely extreme — and there were lots of roos hopping around when they would normally not be about in the middle of the day.

‘‘I haven’t had a chance to look at bird habitat yet. We are looking as hard as we possibly can for this mare and hoping we can rescue the foal and get a foster mother for it.’’