It's also worth noting that, for 1000 ponies on Dartmoor there are:
Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust
Dartmoor Hill Pony Association (DHPA)
Friends of the Dartmoor Pony
Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society
Dartmoor Commoners Council
The DHPA was set up by a potter. They are certainly stirring the pot.
Some very inaccurate statistics are being bandied about.
According to the BBC (extensively quoted elsewhere) 6000 ponies lived on Dartmoor in 2000.
Yet the National Park authority estimated <1500 in 2006.
A later study found 1000-1200 in 2016.
It helps if you start with the facts.
Miles King
Miles King
The tragedy of the Dartmoor Pony Cull Conspiracy is that misinformation can lead to scientific advice being ignored, & environmental watchdogs like Natural England having their powers curtailed - exactly what the Tories & rightwing press have always wanted. I spoke to @mrjamesob.bsky.social:
