NT plans to kill 60,000 feral camels

1 - 3 of 3 posts

Vegan4Animals VIC • Posts: 63

1 6 Aug 2010

The Northern Territory Government says it is aiming to remove another 60,000 feral camels from Central Australia by next July.

Environment Minister Karl Hampton says 2,000 of the estimated 300,000 camels in the Territory have been culled since June through aerial shooting.

The continued action will include aerial culling, mustering and slaughtering.

"Without immediate action, their numbers will double within a decade," he said.

"As well as destroying native vegetation and wetlands, feral camels cause millions of dollars of damage to pastoral land and infrastructure on remote communities while being a heavy emitter of greenhouse gases.

"The animals also damage Aboriginal sacred sites and bush tucker resources."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/05/2974784.htm?section=justin

meh NSW • Posts: 2674

2 8 Aug 2010

It's very sad, but I can understand NT's point of view. My boyfriend's parents are living up there and apparently the camels do cause a lot of damage... to housing etc.
What bothers me is that camels are apparently a bigger problem than kangaroos yet we still cull kangaroos... though they do not cause as many problems, or any problems at all as far as I am aware.

I've heard that there is a big demand for camels and camel meat in asia (middle-eastern countries) so I don't know if Australia is culling and sending the meat to asia or just destroying them? If at least the meat was being used I could at least say to myself, as comfort, they're being used for a good reason... I see it as a little better than hunting and just killing for fun.