The proposal has been described as ‘total madness’ and ‘evil’
17:40, 16 Jun 2026Updated 17:52, 16 Jun 2026
Ponies grazing on Dartmoor(Image: Julia Kelland)
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “will not allow” Dartmoor’s ponies to be culled, according to reports.
The statement follows concerns that up to 90 per cent of the semi-wild hill ponies on Dartmoor could disappear because of new contracts drawn up by Natural England requiring a reduced number of grazing livestock on the moor.
A petition with over 130,000 signatures says the Dartmoor ponies are being lumped together with cattle and sheep in the total number of livestock allowed on the moors, leaving the hill ponies competing for the remaining reduced grazing space.
According to the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association, there are fewer than 1,000 Dartmoor hill ponies, down from about 7,000 in 1999.
Despite their dwindling numbers, campaigners fear the ponies will be removed to make way for the more commercially viable animals.
In a statement to the Telegraph on Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said the Government “would not allow” a cull on the species.
In response to the growing criticisms, politicians across the spectrum have expressed concerns.
In an X post today, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the potential plans “total madness”.
She wrote: “This is total madness from another unaccountable quango. The government must overrule Natural England and stop it 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.”
Labour MP Luke Pollard for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport said: “I’ve written to the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs to raise my concerns about Natural England’s plans which risk a cull of up to 90% of Dartmoor ponies.
“The semi-wild ponies on Dartmoor Hill have roamed for thousands of years, and are an iconic part of our local heritage. I am proud that after campaigning on this issue in 2024, alongside the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association, we successfully prevented a cull from occurring.
“I will continue to stand up for our ponies, and I look forward to hearing what safeguards are in place to prevent a cull and to secure the species for the next generation.”
Robert Jenrick, Reform MP for Newark, said: “The government has come up with a mad plan to slaughter 90 per cent of the wild ponies that graze on Dartmoor. The beautiful ponies that have been there for centuries . Why? Because apparently there’s too much grass on Dartmoor. They want to turn it into some kind of rainforest. This is an evil plan and it needs to be stopped.”
In a statement on Natural England’s website, they refute the claims that they have recommended a cull of Dartmoor ponies.
They continue to say that “Natural England has not recommended a cull of Dartmoor ponies. We do not have the power to order a cull, and we have not advised one.
“Natural England remains firmly committed to the future of Dartmoor ponies. Dartmoor ponies are part of the cultural landscape of Dartmoor and play a vital role in the health of its moorland habitats.”