Officials in Australia plan to kill thousands of camels that are drinking too much water as wildfires continue to ravage the country.
The camels, up to 10,000, will be shot from gunmen in helicopters on an order from Aboriginal leaders in Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, according to the Independent. Residents there say the camels have been encroaching on their properties in search of rehydration.
“We have been stuck in stinking hot and uncomfortable conditions, feeling unwell, because the camels are coming in and knocking down fences, getting in around the houses and trying to get to water through air-conditioners,’’ said Marita Baker, a member of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara executive board.
Another reason some of the camels are being exterminated is because of concerns about the levels of methane they release, a level that is equivalent to one ton of carbon dioxide a year.
The camels, which number at about 1.2 million, are not native to the continent and were first brought over in the 19th century. Since then, the population has boomed and wreaked havoc in the region.
“This has resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, danger to families and communities, increased grazing pressure across the APY Lands and critical animal welfare issues as some camels die of thirst or trample each other to access water,” a representative for the South Australia Department of Environment and Water told news.com.au.
“In some cases, dead animals have contaminated important water sources and cultural sites,” the representative added.
The culling comes as wildfires continue to burn across the continent. At least 23 people have died in the blazes, and as many as 500 million animals are estimated to have been killed.
