Dartmoor ponies will be maintained at current population levels under new government protections, averting fears of a significant cull.
Campaigners had expressed concern that updated contracts from Natural England, which mandated reduced grazing on the Devon moor, could lead to the removal of as many as 90% of the ponies. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that the animals will be excluded from stocking rate calculations. This change means farmers will no longer face a decision between keeping ponies or prioritizing sheep and cattle grazing.
Defra stated that a combination of new protections and financial support has secured the long-term future of the ponies. The government will monitor pony numbers across the moor to ensure stability.
The Dartmoor hill pony has been a characteristic feature of the landscape for 4,500 years. Historically numbering 6,000 individuals, the population has fallen to fewer than 1,000 in the last 25 years, leading to the breed being declared endangered.