The NPWS have issued a Q&A stating that they are "very confident" in horse numbers (6000). After reviewing the final report of the Independent Technical Reference Group that was commissioned by the NPWS one of the Key Findings states as follows: I. “The Independent Technical Reference Group (ITRG) has NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH A CONCLUSION on trends over time in horse numbers or densities in Kosciusko Nation Park (KNP) because of comparability between successive horse surveys.” and II. The IRTG considers that a figure of ABOUT 6000 in KNP in 2014, from the DRAFT aerial survey report (Cairns 2015) is a REASONABLE WORKING ESTIMATE to GUIDE FUTURE management of horse impacts” Given the brutality and animal cruelty that is about to unfold, one would have thought that their basis for being “very confident” had a lot more strength then this.