UK government denies cull plans for Dartmoor ponies

The British government has firmly denied plans for a cull of Dartmoor's iconic semi-wild ponies, following intense public debate and political pressure over new environmental management schemes. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman stated the government would not permit such a cull, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs affirmed its commitment to maintaining the pony population for future generations.

The controversy centers on Natural England's Countryside Stewardship scheme, which aims to restore habitats on Dartmoor by adjusting grazing levels. Campaigners, including the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association, argue that the scheme's inclusion of ponies within overall livestock counts for the first time will make them economically unviable. They warn that commoners, who have rights to graze livestock on the moor, will be forced to prioritize more profitable cattle and sheep, leading to a potential reduction of up to 90 percent of the pony population. With current breeding numbers estimated around 1,000, campaigners say this would drop below sustainable levels and effectively end the breed's 4,500-year presence on the moor.

Natural England has issued multiple...