Dartmoor ponies are an iconic sight, a living symbol of the untamed British countryside. Yet, recent news confirms that the National Trust is fitting some of these semi-feral, wild-roaming animals with expensive GPS collars to track their movements across Cornwall.
While we respect the crucial role these ponies play in conservation—trampling bracken and creating diverse habitats, we must ask: Are we treating these sentient beings as cherished wildlife, or simply as expendable, GPS-tagged grazing tools?
Monitoring lead animals in a herd might be efficient for land managers, but it raises serious welfare and ethical questions that cannot be ignored. The fitting and wearing of this technology can cause stress and discomfort to naturally cautious, semi-wild animals. Even with supposed safety designs, the risk of collars causing chafing, injury, or entanglement remains a constant threat in the rugged, wild landscapes they inhabit.
Furthermore, these ponies are being moved in rotation, essentially deployed from site to site once their 'job' is done. We must ensure that their forced movement and management is always dictated by their well-being, not just by the cheapest or most convenient method of conservation-by-grazing. We risk normalizing the idea that wildlife management requires constant surveillance and control. Wild animals deserve the respect of space and freedom, not perpetual monitoring like assets on a spreadsheet.
We, the undersigned, demand that the National Trust and Defra immediately review and revise the practice of fitting tracking technology on semi-feral grazing animals, with the following actions required:
We demand an immediate, transparent, and independent welfare review focused on the long-term physical and psychological effects of GPS collars on Dartmoor ponies and other semi-feral livestock used for conservation grazing.
The National Trust must commit to immediate and public transparency on any incidents where ponies sustain injury or stress due to the trackers, or where collars fail to detach, leading to entanglement or injury.
Finally, we require the exploration and investment in non-intrusive monitoring methods (such as drone surveillance or ground observation) to meet conservation goals, phasing out the need for physical tracking devices on wild-roaming animals.
Sign to Preserve Their Wild Spirit
The Dartmoor pony is a symbol of British freedom. We must ensure that the very technology intended to help conserve their habitat does not compromise their well-being or strip them of their essential wild spirit.
Sign this petition now to tell the National Trust: Dartmoor ponies deserve protection, not just tracking. Prioritise their comfort and freedom over the convenience of a GPS signal.
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