Row over potential ‘cull’ of endangered hill ponies on Dartmoor
Locals warn officials’ approach to conserving the landscape will “devastate” numbers of the endangered breed
Last updated 17th Jun 2026
A row is growing over a potential cull of Dartmoor’s hill ponies, as locals warn officials’ approach to conserving the landscape will “devastate” numbers of the endangered breed.
Campaigners say requirements to cut livestock grazing on the moor’s commons under new contracts from the Government’s conservation agency Natural England could lead to the removal of up to 90% of its hill ponies – which would likely have to be culled.
And local Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden warned that the plans could lead to the “near elimination” of ponies on the moor.
But officials insisted Natural England was not proposing a cull and the Environment Department (Defra) would not support one, while Downing Street claimed Dartmoor hill ponies “are safe under this Government”.
Dartmoor hill ponies have been on the landscape for 4,500 years, although numbers have dwindled from 6,000 25 years ago to fewer than a thousand today, owing to historical policy changes, and they have been declared an endangered breed, campaigners say.
Natural England is including Dartmoor hill ponies in livestock counts under its new moorland agri-environmental schemes that provide payments for farmers for grazing upland in ways that benefit nature.
Campaigners warn the new schemes will cut livestock, including ponies, by 56% to 89%, even though they say previous cuts to stocking densities – which the ponies were previously protected from – have not boosted biodiversity on Dartmoor.
The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association says the move will force commoners, who have rights to put livestock on the commons of the moor, to choose between commercial sheep and cattle and the ponies for which they have traditionally been guardians.
The loss of ponies would be damaging for the biodiversity of the landscape, as they are the best grazer of the “monoculture” Molinia grass that has come to dominate the moor, Joss Hibbs, secretary of the DHPA which represents commoners who keep the ponies, said.
Ms Hibbs said: “We are in a situation if Natural England pushes their approach through of this number cut and bringing the ponies in, the impact on the ponies will be greater than it is on livestock because they will lose that competition.
“We know, therefore, Natural England’s approach will devastate the Dartmoor hill pony population, it will make farms financially unviable and it’s extremely doubtful there will be any environmental benefit.”
She warned that if commoners chose commercial livestock to earn a living, the ponies would be lost – and if they chose the ponies they would become unviable and the farms would go, which would in turn lead to the loss of the ponies which are safeguarded by the farmers.
Campaigners said the contracts could come into force as early as the end of this year, meaning the majority of ponies rounded up in annual “drifts” in October would not be returned to the moor – with the most likely outcome being a cull.
The Devon-based Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony charity is calling for long-term, legal protection of the remaining hill pony herds in recognition of their rare status, and a separate agreed moor-wide herd size, as was in place with previous contracts.
Campaigners also said Natural England should wait for the outcomes of the Land Use Management Group set up to implement the recommendations of a government-commissioned review in 2023, which is drawing up a land use plan for Dartmoor by 2027.
Amid a growing row over the situation, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labelled the situation as “total madness” and demanded the Government overrule Natural England and make it stop immediately.
“Keir Starmer is on his way to making his last acts in office the shameful underfunding of our military and the mass slaughter of Dartmoor ponies,” she said.
Ms Voaden, whose South Devon constituency includes part of Dartmoor, said: “I am deeply alarmed, as are many others, that we might see the near elimination of ponies on the moor.
“The potential consequences of Natural England’s proposed grazing contracts are staggering.
“We must do everything we can to protect what are among the last semi-wild species of pony in the UK and ensure their survival for generations to come.”
But Guy Shrubsole, a Devon-based campaigner and author of The Lie Of The Land – which examines failures in land stewardship, hit back at what he described as the “horse-s***” being spoken over the issue.
“This is a conspiracy theory being whipped up on social media,” he said.
“Nobody is proposing a cull.
“Nature on Dartmoor is dying and this is a desperate attempt to distract from the real issue: overgrazing by sheep.”
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “So, let me be very clear on this: this government will not allow a cull of Dartmoor ponies and we don’t manage feral pony populations by culling in this country.
“Natural England has not recommended a cull of Dartmoor ponies and it does not have the power to order a cull and has not advised one.
“And, more broadly, Dartmoor ponies are part of the cultural landscape of Dartmoor and play a vital role in the health of its moorland habitats.”
The ponies are “safe under this government”, she added.
An Environment Department (Defra) spokesperson said: “Dartmoor ponies are an important part of Dartmoor’s heritage and also key to supporting the habitats of Dartmoor.
“Natural England are not recommending a cull and this government wouldn’t support one.”
MP for Exeter, Steve Race, said: “The Dartmoor semi-wild ponies are an iconic part of the national park, and vital for our goal to improve biodiversity, and important to our culture and tourism.
“It’s imperative that Natural England now commits to implementing the Fursdon Review in full - including recommendation 27, removing ponies from the overall livestock numbers.
“The Government - including the Prime Minister - rightly confirmed that they are against any cull of ponies. If Natural England continue to try to undermine and avoid implementing the Fursdon Review, I’m asking for DEFRA Ministers to direct them to protect the ponies.
“For too long Natural England have muddled this issue, and avoided taking responsibility. Clarity to protect the Dartmoor ponies is now absolutely vital.”