Australia considers mass killings of camels
Agencies
Published: August 09, 2009, 12:17
Sydney: Thousands of camels in Australia could be killed by marksmen in helicopters under a government proposal aimed at cutting down the population of creatures.
There are now about 1 million camels roaming the country, and the animals compete with sheep and cattle for food and trample vegetation in search of water.
Glenn Edwards, who is working on drafting the Australian government's camel reduction program, said the population needs to be slashed by two-thirds to reduce damage.
Last month, the federal government set aside $16 million for a program to help slash the population.
Besides sending in sharpshooters in helicopters and on foot, officials are considering proposals to turn some of the creatures into tasty treats such as camel burgers.
However, some people remain opposed to a mass slaughter. Camel exporter Paddy McHugh said a cull would be ineffective.
"What happens in 15 years when the numbers come back again? Do we waste another $20 million?" McHugh said.
Mark Pearson, executive director of the animal welfare group Animal Liberation New South Wales, offered another solution: birth control.
Giving the animals a drug to render them infertile is far kinder than pumping them full of bullets, he said.
Source: gulfnews.com
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Speed Comments:
Instead of killing these poor animals, why can't the Australian Govt. donate these Camels to the people of Africa where thousands of Human Beings are dying just becasue to Hunger?
