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Australia to cull 10,000 wild horses

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If ferrile animals cause damage, so does domestic cattle and mining. So why not Shoot the Mining Magnates and all of those causing Climate change as well. It is Dam cruel no matter what is done because of overgrazing and climate change, to these free living animals that were released into the wild many years ago the horses were let go from the first world war light horse brigade so a better ending this story would be to leave to nature and fix up watering holes. instead of paying to burn off the malliescrub. we should find a better outcome for these animals. .

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we should find a better outcome for these animals. .

And what better outcome do you suggets? My guess is that this is the best outcome they could think of. You say its cruel? If the article is true, then these horses and camels are already dying due to lack of water, a lot are half dead, hence why they will cull them with a bullet in the head. IMO leaving them alive would be more cruel. If you had a terminally ill pet, you wouldnt put them down?

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If you had a terminally ill pet, you wouldnt put them down?

Yes, but not while chasing them in helicopters and firing on them. What are they going to do with the 10,000 corpses? Leave them where they are to rot in the sun? What an ignoble end.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Shame. Surprised we haven't seen the aussies try and convince us that wild horse meat is tasty and healthy - like they did with 'roo meat.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

There go next season's basashi futures!

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Hard to tell from the article whether the cull is because the 'animals are suffering' or because they are 'destroying the land'.

Either way, I doubt many people will see shooting them from helicopters as the most humane way to go about it.

A quick google shows that this culling has been going on in different parts of Australia for a number of years now, and has animal-loving Aussies in uproar. There is evidence that the horses are shot at but not necessarily killed, and are left maimed and in suffering for days.

Shame on the Australian government.

http://www.sosnews.org/newsfront/?p=86

http://pindanpost.com/2012/11/27/control-of-unwanted-horses-shot-from-helicopters/

The claim is also being made that the aim is to remove the horses from the land so that it can be used to raise cattle. Presumably in that case food and water will miraculously appear.

http://www.animaljusticeparty.org/2013/01/15/lake-gregory-wa-aerial-brumby-culling-january-2013/

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If you had a terminally ill pet, you wouldnt put them down?

To say animal is sick as reason to kill it. Even evil whaling nation of Japan does not use such excuse to kill wild animal.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

I think it is a guise for the shooters to use for sport as in previous culls it was later found un necessary. This bleeding heart should look at those horses and camels that were in a healthy condition that have been shot. these animals should be left alone as when no water is available and food they move on the problem with this story is that in these areas they have had rain so no real excuse exists for culling.

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Cleo, hope you understand the concept of conservation now, that it encompasses both protection and culling for the greater good of the animals themselves. Shooting from helicopters is to ensure a quick operation. If the cullers were on the ground it would take much more time.

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"Culling" = KILLING. And given it is shooting from helicopters, I agree with Cleo. Those not killed outright will be left to suffer a lingering dismal death of pain under the hot sun. Can't another, more humane solution, be found?

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Ossan -

Cleo, hope you understand the concept of conservation now

I have always understood the concept of conservation, thank you. What I do not and will never understand is the idea that shooting at a terrified, fleeing animal from a moving vehicle and wounding it so that it takes a long, long time to die in agony and suffering is in any way to the 'greater good' of anyone or anything, unless someone somewhere is profiting from it in some way.

the_odeman -

If you had a terminally ill pet, you wouldnt put them down?

I have had terminally-ill pets, some of whom I had put to sleep to end their suffering. But I never, ever, chased after a terminally-ill pet and took pot shots at it out of a helicopter, or left one to lie bleeding under the hot sun until it expired.

If the number one concern is the welfare of the animal, this is not the way you do it.

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It is indeed an emotional matter. However, these animals have just become an out of control pest issue. The australian authorities have the moral duty to reduce their numbers. This is just too late.

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I think it is a guise for the shooters to use for sport as in previous culls it was later found un necessary.

If its anything like the culls in the UK the shooters will be professional, licensed state sharpshooters and not game hunters. If the cull is found to be unnecessary it will eliminate the need for future culls but as it stands I believe the Australian government has a legitimate concern over the overuse of natural watering holes impacting native species.

these animals should be left alone as when no water is available and food they move on

That's what the culling is meant to solve. The problem is that there are several tens of thousands of non-native horses (what some may consider an invasive species) that are using up the limited grazing and watering spots relied upon by the native fauna. Much like how hogs have become a serious problem in the US. Cullings are designed to reduce a population to one that is more sustainable in the habitat in which they are found similar to ones in the UK, US, and several other western nations looking to preserve their native habitats.

Can't another, more humane solution, be found?

Aside from either capturing them all or sterilizing them there isn't any other real short or long term solution to the problem. Capture programs are dubious and then the problem arises of who they are going to find to take care of 10,000 horses, while I'm sure a "Pony for every Aussie" program would go over swimmingly with the little girls of the country I think most of them would just be re-released or slaughtered once the expenses of maintaining them become untenable.

Sterilization has been floated around for over-sized hog and deer populations in the US as an alternative but the process is exceedingly expensive, doesn't always work, and if done wrong could lead to a life of pain in misery. Culling is far from a perfect practice but in the absence of horse mind control it's the only option to remove a large volume of invasive creatures from a fairly delicate ecosystem.

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when you introduce a non native species into an environment, its almost impossible for nature to keep them at balanced number. this is why we cull one species of animal so the others dont have to suffer

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https://www.facebook.com/CentralLC

The Central Land Council region covers 771,747 square kilometres of remote, rugged and often inaccessible areas. There are 18,000 Aboriginal people from 15 different Aboriginal language groups in Central Australia. The region is divided into nine regions based around these language groups. The Council is a representative body with statutory authority under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. It also has responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993 and the Pastoral Land Act 1992.

=An Aborigine issue and not an Australia one.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

cleoMay. 22, 2013 - 09:18PM JST "Ossan -Cleo, hope you understand the concept of conservation now"

I have always understood the concept of conservation, thank you.

Understanding and acceptance are of course two different things.

What I do not and will never understand is the idea that shooting at a terrified, fleeing animal from a moving vehicle and wounding it so that it takes a long, long time to die in agony and suffering

OK, hold up. Now there is an example of an emotionally driven argument. Of course animals respond to perceived threats by fleeing. Whether they are "terrified" or simply acting out of instinct, I do not know. But I do know that you are superimposing human feelings onto the scenario. Secondly, nobody kills any animals with the intent to "wound it so it takes a long long time to die". That is simply not efficient in terms of time or resources. Does wounding happen? Yes it does. Are there instances when the animal takes longer to die than it should? Yes. Is it intentional? No. Is there another way to kill animals that is cost effective? No. We could conceivable blow up each animal with air to ground missies from an airstrike and nothing would take a long long time to die, but I am sure even you would agree that it is not realistically feasible.

is in any way to the 'greater good' of anyone or anything, unless someone somewhere is profiting from it in some way.

So you are questioning the validity of conservation measures as practiced by governments and agencies throughout the entire world. Good luck with that.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

For folks in the UK:

Coming to a supermarket near you!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Introduced species are like a virus that an environment's immune system cannot control.

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nobody kills any animals with the intent to "wound it so it takes a long long time to die".

So even when it happens often enough to have people concerned, it's just too bad?

you are questioning the validity of conservation measures as practiced by governments and agencies throughout the entire world

Governments and agencies throughout the world implement conservation measures by taking pot-shots at animals from a helicopter? Yeah right.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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