Posted on 11/26/2009 1:50:33 PM PST by nickcarraway
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 (500 kilometers) 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 (15 kilometers) 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
Very good, Very funky? Can you give a bit more of an explanation?
Great song sung by Frankie Laine.........
Camel meat is halal?
Who would have guess it.
It is NOT Kosher.
Yeah, I was just thinking a 300 win mag would do nicely.
I don’t have a smoker big enough!
Gave up the coffin nails 7 mths ago - started out smoking Camel non-filtered when I was 15. Sometimes I still think I would fly that far for a smoke!
Cheers
Mel
It tastes like really gamey lamb or goat. A very strong taste that stuck in my mouth. I don’t think I’d choose to eat it again.
Maybe they will be brought to NYC for trial.
Mmmmmmm camel toe.
Damn. No camel jerky, then.
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