Animal rights campaigners have labelled the Northern Territory government “trigger happy” over its plans to shoot 3,000 thirsty camels that have laid siege to a remote Outback town.
Officials argue the situation has become critical and have obtained air clearance to undertake the culling from Monday to stop the marauding camels terrorising Docker River, a mostly Aboriginal community 500km south-west of Alice Springs.
Over 6,000 camels, which are an introduced species, have caused chaos in the town as they search for water. So far the animals, which are growing in number every day, have torn up water mains and sewerage pipes, contaminating the area’s water supply, plus approached houses and blocked the town’s airstrip, thereby stopping medical evacuations.
The authorities aim to end the siege by using helicopters to herd the camels 15km from the town, where they will be shot and left in the desert.
A PETA spokeswoman, however, said: “The trigger-happy response from authorities [was] inexcusable. There are humane solutions to every problem.”
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