Camel lovers get hump over move to cull 6000

Camel lovers get hump over move to cull 6000

NICK CALACOURAS

November 27th, 2009

A TERRITORY Government minister has started receiving hate mail from around the world after announcing a plan to slaughter 6000 wild camels that are terrorising a small community.

One person from Germany said he was "shocked" to hear of Local Government Minister Rob Knight's plan to slaughter the animals that have invaded Docker River, 500km from Alice Springs.

"So 6000 innocent, gentle creatures have to die for only 350 humans?" he wrote.

"To me, these creatures have the same right to live under God's sun and drink his water as any other, including the human species."

One writer from Australia asked why the Government was killing 6000 thirsty camels for 350 "village idiots".

"Give the camels some f***ing water. Are people in Australia morons?" he said.

The comments mirrored similar attacks made on US television recently, calling Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a "serial killer" for culling camels in remote Australia.

But not all correspondence to Mr Knight was critical of the decision to cull.

Mr Knight this week announced the $49,000 plan to employ an aerial shooter to herd the camels away from the town and destroy them.

He said the animals were trampling sewerage lines, breaking water pipes and getting into air conditioners in search of a drink.

He also said some had broken on to the air strip, blocking all medical evacuations from the town.

From ntnews.com.au