UK Government Says No Dartmoor Pony Cull Planned Under Grazing Rules

The UK government said it will not allow a cull of Dartmoor ponies after reports raised concerns over new grazing contracts on the moor. A Downing Street spokeswoman stated that Natural England has not recommended a cull and lacks the power to order one. The spokeswoman added that Dartmoor ponies remain safe under the current government.

Campaigners warned that requirements to cut livestock grazing could lead to the removal of up to 90 per cent of Dartmoor hill ponies. They said the ponies, present on the landscape for 4,500 years, have already declined from 6,000 animals 25 years ago to fewer than 1,000 today.

Natural England sources said the policy originates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and does not distinguish between sheep and ponies in livestock limits. The same sources noted that farmers are more likely to remove ponies than sheep because sheep can be sold for meat.

A Defra spokesman said Dartmoor ponies are an important part of the moor’s heritage and that the government would not support a cull. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden said she is deeply alarmed by the potential near elimination of ponies on the moor.

Defence minister Luke Pollard wrote to Defra expressing concern that the contracts create a financial incentive to favour sheep and cattle over ponies. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the proposals total madness and urged the government to overrule Natural England.

The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association said the move will force commoners to choose between commercial livestock and the ponies they have traditionally guarded.