Snipers to cull up to 10,000 camels in drought-stricken Australia

As if enough animals haven’t suffered already this summer - now they want to voluntarily kill 10,000 more !?

I guess these are what's known as "invasive species". Pity that the camels can't be used for meat and milk.

This is seriously a terrible thing. Where is the outrage to stop it?

This is seriously a terrible thing. Where is the outrage to stop it?

Plenty of outrage on twitter

This is seriously a terrible thing. Where is the outrage to stop it?

It’s unfortunate but necessary. Hopefully, people won’t make these kind of mistakes with introducing new species again.

Isn’t there anything that can be used from these camels?

"..Pity that the camels can't be used for meat and milk..."

Camels are currently being sourced for the international meat market.

Targets are the Middle East, Europe & US and probably other places.

Most comes from the Aboriginal communities where capturing and mustering has become an important business.

I think the APY lands are involved with this business, but the sheer numbers of feral stock are just too great to manage.

Camels eat just about anything which has really impacted on the fragile arid lands they primarily inhabit.

Sad reality, but if left un-attended the feral camel number will just continue to grow and grow.

Camels are currently being sourced for the international meat market.

Thanks, I'd heard that the milk is actually quite good for you.

I've enjoyed alligator, ostrich and kangaroo, so would be quite interested in trying something new from Oz.

Camels,with their Afghan drivers,were brought to Australia in the mid 1800s. The drivers all died off and the generations of camels have gone feral. The Afghan refugees who have settled in Australia since don't seem to have the aptitude or interest in camel driving so the camels run wild procreating and being a nuiscance. Some supermarkets have tried selling the meat but most Australians apparently aren't keen on eating it. Perhaps it would sell in Japan----the Japanese have the reputation of having a go at anything so perhaps there is an opportunity for someone to make a killing--both literally ang figeratively!

The Afghan refugees who have settled in Australia since don't seem to have the aptitude or interest in camel driving 

Why on earth should they?

Culling an invasive non-native species is a good thing.

Culling an invasive non-native species is a good thing.

Sad, but I agree.

RecklessToday 09:51 pm JST

White people are also an introduced species, no?

I think invasive is the correct term.

The animals are considered a pest, as they foul water sources and trample native flora while foraging for food over vast distances each day.

Isn’t there enough space in Oz for camels to be camels?

kurisupisu - Isn’t there enough space in Oz for camels to be camels?

Probably not. Apparently there have been several massive fires which have destroyed millions of acres of habitat. The camel's ability to survive in such a burned environment suggests that the camels will survive at the expense of numerous native species.

Too bad that at least some of them can't be brought to the Middle East and North Africa.

Snipers?