An initiative marketed as a rewilding and biodiversity conservation project may actually be putting vulnerable animals in harm’s way. Exmoor ponies at Denmark’s Mols Bjerge National Park are reportedly severely underfed and at risk of starvation. Images have emerged of the ponies with apparent emaciation so severe that bones protrude from their bodies.
Since human hunters killed off nearly all the wild horses in Europe, breeds like Exmoor ponies have become popular picks for rewilding projects. The ponies also help graze and maintain land. Unfortunately, problems arise during the winter because the ponies’ grazing grounds are much more limited, diminishing their health. Making matters worse, the ponies must stay inside fenced-in enclosures, so they cannot roam to access food and ensure their well-being and survival.
The park authorities in charge of this project, Molslaboratoriet, refuse to make needed changes. They will not take down the fencing and free the animals to roam freely within the park. Despite the fact that the ponies must stay inside these very man-made enclosures, the organization reportedly will not even provide supplemental food on the argument that they are trying to maintain “wild” conditions. Instead, Molslaboratoriet leaders divert the blame to supposedly overreacting animal activists.
Sign the petition below to demand this park take better care of the animals under its care.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Wermelin,
Molslaboratoriet of the Mols Bjerge National Park claims the Exmoor ponies within this park are well-nourished and healthy. Stirring images of these animals with apparent bones apparently sticking from their skin tell a different story. Molslaboratoriet also lays the blame for criticism on animal activists sowing misinformation. Is the insinuation that the Exmoor Pony Society, whose sole mission is the protection of these animals, makes up tales…tales backed by photographic evidence?
Rewilding is supposed to be about promoting the welfare and the spread of wildlife and plants endangered by human intervention. Such a conservation effort should never become a source of controversy about animal welfare itself. The excuses that additional food cannot be provided because of a need to maintain wild conditions hold no water when these animals are imprisoned by very unnatural fences. Further, other similar initiatives have succeeded without the need for these artificial barriers.
As the overseer of Denmark’s national parks, please encourage removal of the restrictive fencing and help make this park a true natural wonder. In the interim, ensure these ponies clearly under the care of the park are provided the proper sustenance. Give the resilient Exmoor ponies a fighting chance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Nestor Montagu
You have to wonder why idiots like this capture wild animals but then don’t maintain the land to feed them. Break down the fences. Wild life will survive without human interfering. Release all animals and humans need to find something that encompasses growth not destruction FHS!!!!
Stop this cruelty
If you are going to control the environment of any animal then atleast be educated in understanding the species and their survival. Neglecting their simple needs such as food supply could severely hurt and even destroy their survival.
Is the Denmark government MENTAL??
Where is the public and the animal rights groups who should just go in and remove the gates or provide some feed for the animals exposing how everyone is watching them starve to death?
SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET OFF THIER ASS AND SAVE THESE PONIES FROM STARVATION AND NOT PUT THE BLAM ON ANIMAL ACTIVISTS!!!! WHO EVER IS IN CHARGE OF THESE PONIES ARE SICK PHYCOPATHS TO ALLOW THEM TO SUFFER AND DIE!!!! KARMA WILL BE BEHIND YOU!!!
So will Jehovah God! Here is what HE says about it:”“If you come upon your enemy’s bull or his donkey straying, you must return it to him.+ 5 If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen under its load, you must not ignore it and leave. You must help him release the animal.” Exodus 23:4-5.
He GAVE us all the beautiful animals to TAKE CARE OF! If they starve to death, I would not want to be in the shoes of those who incur his wrath!
Consistent with Denmark also feeding zoo giraffes to lions and annually rounding up dolphins with motor boats,with the propellers churning them to a slow and excruciating death,sorry only in that tourists are detracted from visiting such a place. Indeed, something is rotten in Denmark.
Absolutely HORRIFIC and SHOCKING that such OBVIOUS APPALLING ABUSE must be EXPLAINED to people in power!! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE who show NO COMPASSION to STOP indescribable sufferings of innocent and defenseless sentient beings who have no voice. ANIMALS SHALL NOT BE VICTIMS OF HUMAN SADISTIC PSYCHOPATHS! ANIMALS DESERVE CARE, LOVE and JUSTICE, just like YOU and ME! DENMARK, STOP THIS ANIMAL HELL!!!
DENMARK SHAME on you, the country of ANIMAL-HATERS!!!!!! Denmark has committed horrific CRIMES against the innocent animals(gassing of thousands of minks, massacre of dolphins at Faroe Islands and more…). Now Denmark supports STARVING of INNOCENT and DEFENSELESS PONIES to death.
DENMARK is a country PROMOTING EXTREME ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME!!!!!
Well DENMARK, NOT SO GREAT EH!! This is shameful and disgustingly cruel and YOU KNOW IT!! Go and help now as this is just wicked. Don’t be telling the rest of the world how great it is to live in Denmark when you refuse to help defenceless animals, its just pure HYPOCRACY. SORT IT OUT NOW. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU.
This is pathetic… No regard for reality or the fact that these guys have had numerous controls from governemt vets WITHOUT ANY REMARKS, but yeah, lets just addere to rumors and opinions from layout people and people on Facebook…
Absolutely, fucking, pathetic…
Why the hell are you guys lying about Mols? They havent had Any animals starve to death and they follow ALL rules and regulations. The minister knows this. What the fuck is the agenda here? Just to harass people?
You people should get real. Of course the minister wont do anything. She cant, for one single reason. They follow the law at Molslab, and has never received remarks from government vets. Why are you just ignoring that?
Please check facts…
This petition is misunderstood and based on fake news, fear and speculations.
Some admin should check sources.
Lea Wermelin, Director of Denmark’s Ministry of the Environment
Increase grazing opportunities for potentially malnourished Exmoor ponies.
Martin Olsen. This is not fake news. This is what is happening. So shut your bloody mouth.
Probably wouldn’t take much do knock a section of fence down in the nite.
Someone needs to get in and rescue those ponies! What happens if this petition doesn’t get results? They just slowly starve to death while no one saves!? That is absurd. SAVE THEM NOW
They’re starving the Tule Elk in California… for cattle.
Humans destroy as much as they can, as fast as they can, for as much profit as they can accumulate.
Please don’t think that all danes are cruel, a lot of people are trying to stop this EU and state-funded neglect.
Og uden tvivl fortsætter direktøren og embedsmændene på Molslaboratoriet med at proppe deres fede ansigter med mad, mens deres ponyer sulter.
And no doubt the Director and officials at Molslaboratoriet continue to stuff their fat faces with food, while their ponies starve.
God’s Holy Word, the Bible, says at Exodus 23:4-5, ““If you come upon your enemy’s bull or his donkey straying, you must return it to him.+ 5 If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen under its load, you must not ignore it and leave. You must help him release the animal.” This shows that Jehovah God values and loves our animals that he has given us. We MUST take good care of all of them or be held responsible for them come Judgement Day.
PLEASE FEED these PONIES!
This petition is non-sense. The project has strict guidelines for the removal of any horse or cattle that falls below an acceptable body score. Removed horses are either translocated to other all-year grazing projects or they are terminated. Independent vets have repeatedly confirmed that the project is well run and the vets did not find anything to fault.
The people who are against horses living wild are those who keep horses in small enclosures and barns for their own enjoyment including riding, shows, breeding and rental. The wild horses interfere with their illusion of giving their pet horses a good life, when they are in fact depriving them of space and natural behaviours.
All those involved with these starving ponies that think this is just fine, need to be starved. They will love it.. IMO