Australia Plans to Kill Thirsty Camels
Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman / CBS/AP
Australian authorities plan to corral about 6,000 wild camels with helicopters and gun them down after they overran a small Outback town in search of water, trampling fences, smashing tanks and contaminating supplies.
The Northern Territory government announced its plan Wednesday for Docker River, a town of 350 residents where thirsty camels have been arriving daily for weeks because of drought conditions in the region.
"The community of Docker River is under siege by 6,000 marauding, wild camels," local government minister Rob Knight said in Alice Springs, 310 miles northeast of Docker. "This is a very critical situation out there, it's very unusual and it needs urgent action."
The camels, which are not native to Australia but were introduced in the 1840s, have smashed water tanks, approached houses to try to take water from air conditioning units, and knocked down fencing at the small airport runway, Knight said.
The carcasses of camels killed in stampedes at water storage areas are contaminating the water supply, he added.
The government plans to use helicopters to herd the camels about nine miles outside of town next week, where they will be shot and their carcasses left to decay in the desert. The state government will give a 49,000 Australian dollar ($45,000) grant for the cull and to repair damaged infrastructure in the town.
"We don't have the luxury of time because the herd is getting bigger," Knight said.
It is common to see some camels in the remote community, but a continuing drought and an early heat wave have dried up other water sources and forced great numbers of them into town. Much of Australia is gripped by some of the worst drought conditions on record.
In August, the federal government set aside 19 million Australian dollars for a program to slash the wild camel population, including a possible mass slaughter.
Glenys Oogjes, executive director of national advocacy group Animals Australia, said the plan to kill camels by helicopter was barbaric, and that the community could instead focus on setting up barriers to keep out the camels.
"It's a terrible thing that people react to these events by shooting," she said. "The real concern is the terrible distress and wounding when shot by helicopter. ... There will be terrible suffering."
Camels were first brought to Australia to help explorers travel through the desert, and now an estimated 1 million roam wild across the country.
They compete with sheep and cattle for food, trample vegetation and invade remote settlements in search of water, scaring residents as they tear apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes.
Docker River residents were not especially concerned when about 30 camels came into the town looking for water a few weeks ago, said Graham Taylor, head of the local council. But their fears grew as more animals arrived day by day.
He said many people were too frightened to leave their homes because of the big, strong animals, which can grow up to 7 feet tall and weigh 2,000 pounds.
"We need to get the risk and that threat away from the people," Taylor said.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Northern Territory government announced its plan Wednesday for Docker River, a town of 350 residents where thirsty camels have been arriving daily for weeks because of drought conditions in the region.
"The community of Docker River is under siege by 6,000 marauding, wild camels," local government minister Rob Knight said in Alice Springs, 310 miles northeast of Docker. "This is a very critical situation out there, it's very unusual and it needs urgent action."
The camels, which are not native to Australia but were introduced in the 1840s, have smashed water tanks, approached houses to try to take water from air conditioning units, and knocked down fencing at the small airport runway, Knight said.
The carcasses of camels killed in stampedes at water storage areas are contaminating the water supply, he added.
The government plans to use helicopters to herd the camels about nine miles outside of town next week, where they will be shot and their carcasses left to decay in the desert. The state government will give a 49,000 Australian dollar ($45,000) grant for the cull and to repair damaged infrastructure in the town.
"We don't have the luxury of time because the herd is getting bigger," Knight said.
It is common to see some camels in the remote community, but a continuing drought and an early heat wave have dried up other water sources and forced great numbers of them into town. Much of Australia is gripped by some of the worst drought conditions on record.
In August, the federal government set aside 19 million Australian dollars for a program to slash the wild camel population, including a possible mass slaughter.
Glenys Oogjes, executive director of national advocacy group Animals Australia, said the plan to kill camels by helicopter was barbaric, and that the community could instead focus on setting up barriers to keep out the camels.
"It's a terrible thing that people react to these events by shooting," she said. "The real concern is the terrible distress and wounding when shot by helicopter. ... There will be terrible suffering."
Camels were first brought to Australia to help explorers travel through the desert, and now an estimated 1 million roam wild across the country.
They compete with sheep and cattle for food, trample vegetation and invade remote settlements in search of water, scaring residents as they tear apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes.
Docker River residents were not especially concerned when about 30 camels came into the town looking for water a few weeks ago, said Graham Taylor, head of the local council. But their fears grew as more animals arrived day by day.
He said many people were too frightened to leave their homes because of the big, strong animals, which can grow up to 7 feet tall and weigh 2,000 pounds.
"We need to get the risk and that threat away from the people," Taylor said.
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Use intelligence. These creatures have feelings, feel pain, suffer anquish, have hope and needs, no different than anyone else on the planet. Because you do not feel the suffering of the shooting, of the pain, of the bullets and the fear, you can shoot who or what you want, in the most horrible ways, when you want: no agony to you or your suffering offspring: hey, gun toting officials and people in gov't are you listening?
Use intellect. And care.
If 19 million ~ MILLION ~ was set aside, certainly 6000 or so camels can be saved, humanely euthanized: why the hell not?: Tranquilizer darts and lethal injection. Still abhorrent, but painless and makes more sense than 'gunning' down nonhuman animals. They have the same blood, bones and nervous systems as you. Idiots.
You can certainly create water stations, build some corrals, use some birth control: why the hell not? You have 19 million set aside for killing them with guns? What you are going to do with the 18.5 million left over?
I know, encourage humans to reproduce so they can be terrified of wildlife, kill those nonhuman creatures they fear or despise, propagate and not shave.
Nice.
And yes, they do eat camel in Somalia.
1,000 lb animals are dangerous - even deer of the Bambi kind are dangerous in close quarters.
Drought has been on for years - water tables are way down and water is needed for people and the food system. 6,000+ animals in the 1,000 lb weight range would use so much that such would be irresponsible.
I don't know what camel tastes like for people or animals. Would suggest that if it is not a regular diet item, that would fail.
Hope for a merciful kill. Don't think there is much choice.
kill the seals
kill the seals
THE OK CORALE HAS SPREAD ALL THE WAY TO AUSTRALIA ? GO FIGURE !!!
WHAT A BUNCH OF FREAKS !!! WHY DON'T YOU DO US ALL AFAVOR & JUST SHOOT EACH OTHER ?? MAKES MORE SENSE TO ME !!!
I think that the number of LOONIES on here is growing everyday.