Concerns are escalating regarding the survival of Dartmoor's wild ponies, which have inhabited the moors of Devon for over 3,500 years. Their population has plummeted from around 30,000 to just 1,000 in the past seven decades. The UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has introduced new grazing restrictions that could include the ponies for the first time. This change is aimed at reducing overgrazing and its detrimental effects on biodiversity but poses a significant threat to the ponies. Campaigners, including Charlotte Faulkner of the Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony group, fear that the ponies will be culled to make way for commercial cattle-grazing, with estimates suggesting that up to 93% could be removed. A petition started by Sarah-Jane Norris has gained significant traction, highlighting the contradiction in policies that aim to protect Dartmoor's ecology while threatening its iconic ponies. Critics emphasize that Natural England's approach is misguided and detrimental to both the ponies and the environment.