Brumbies (Equus ferus caballus) as Colonizers of the Esperance Mallee–Recherche Bioregion in Western Australia

Before Australia was taken over by humans more than 55 000 years BP, the landscapes were shaped through animal agency. Extinct prehistoric fauna and megafauna had social ecological systems and actively organized ecosystems and landscapes that reflected patterns of herbivory, soil foraging, nutrient cycling and predation. Surviving species continued as agents in the ecosystem functions of the EM-R region until the beginning of European colonization in the 1860’s. The settlers used the inherent biological traits of their domesticated animals, including horses, as an agency of colonization. Horses (Equus ferus caballus) who escaped to become wild are known as Brumbies in the Australian vernacular. They adapted to the local environments and prospered. This chapter analyzes the ways Brumbies have adapted to and made the land their own. It shows how they became intimately engaged with landscape details and resources which are reflected through their creation of cultural horsetrails as they moved purposefully throughout their homelands.