Brumbies shot with arrows in 'repugnant' attack

Senior rural crime investigators have labelled “repugnant” the actions of two teens who allegedly used bows and arrows to illegally hunt brumbies near Kiandra in Kosciuzsko National Park this week.

One brumby was left dead and the other injured as a result of the activity near Three Mile Creek.

NSW Police Rural Crime investigators from Cooma travelled to the location on Wednesday (30 September) after being alerted to the illegal activity.

Police located a dead bay brumby stallion with two arrow wounds to the stomach and shoulder, and the tip of an arrow still embedded in the shoulder.

A grey brumby colt was also found alive with an arrow wound high on the nearside shoulder and the tip of the arrow embedded in the horse’s wound.

The colt was able to bear weight and walked off into the bush with another mob of horses.

Efforts are still being made to locate the injured brumby.

The rural crime investigators were able to track the path of the injured horses, locate and seize a broken arrow, some 100 metres from where the dead horse was.

A short time later police were alerted to a vehicle that had become bogged not far from where the horses were shot.

The occupants of the vehicle had sought help to be towed out and left the area prior to police being notified.

Police were given the registration number of the vehicle and it was stopped by local Traffic and Highway Patrol officers as it was entering Cooma.

Rural crime investigators attended and helped search the vehicle.

Two bows were located, as well as arrows that matched the arrow seized at the scene of the shooting.

The two 17-year-old occupants were arrested and taken to Cooma Police Station. They were interviewed and later released while the investigation continued.

On 1 October 2020, a 17-year-old Holbrook teen was charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty, two counts of hunting in a National Park, possessing a bow in a National Park and possessing a dog in a National Park.

He will appear in the Cooma Children’s Court on 9 December 2020.

The other 17-year-old from Tallangatta in Victoria was issued with a $500 infringement for possessing a bow in a National Park.

State rural crime co-ordinator Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside congratulated the officers involved for their swift actions.

“This incident is very disturbing and repugnant, and this timely investigation by the Rural Crime Prevention Team highlights that the NSW Police Force will not tolerate animal cruelty,” he said.

If you have and information about illegal hunting, animal cruelty or other rural crimes please speak to your local police or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.