Dartmoor pony cull proposal prompts urgent call for livestock rule change

Exclusive: Sources say Defra’s policy on livestock fails to distinguish between ponies and sheep

Natural England and MPs are urging the government to change its livestock rules to stop ponies on Dartmoor from being culled.

Semi-wild ponies have roamed Dartmoor for more than 4,000 years and have become uniquely suited to the boggy landscape, providing a charming sight for those who visit the national park.

There was therefore widespread outrage after reports that the government quango Natural England was going to cause a cull of up to 90% of the ponies, with the Conservative party calling for the government body to be reviewed and possibly stripped of its powers.

However, sources at the quango say it is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) policy that is at fault, as it fails to differentiate between sheep and ponies. Because the barren moors are so overgrazed, putting species including rare birds and butterflies at risk as there is no food or nesting sites for them, Natural England said there should be an aim to destock the moors by 76%.

Natural England has no powers to order a cull of either sheep or ponies. But commoners on the moor are paid for their stewardship of the national park. Evidence has found that overgrazing, mainly by sheep, has prevented wildflowers and other plants from growing and emptied parts of Dartmoor of nature.

New government plans say that in order to access these funds, those who graze animals on the moor will have to reduce their livestock numbers, leading to some animals being culled.

However, sources at Natural England said the rules, drafted by Defra, make no differentiation between sheep and ponies. While sheep eat the most nutritious and desirable plants, horses are highly effective at stripping the moor of tough, unpalatable vegetation such as molinia grass and gorse, both of which are swamping the peat bogs and heather of the moor. Farmers are much more likely to get rid of ponies than their sheep, as they can sell the latter for meat.