6,000 Invading Camels to Be Shot in Australian Town - Polidicks

[QUOTE]ALICE SPRINGS, Australia — 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 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 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 $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. In August, the federal government set aside 19 million Australian dollars for a program to slash the wild camel population, including a possible mass slaughter. Glenys Oogjes, executive director of national advocacy group Animals Australia, said the plan to kill camels by helicopter was barbaric, and that the community could instead focus on setting up barriers to keep out the camels. "It's a terrible thing that people react to these events by shooting," she said. "The real concern is the terrible distress and wounding when shot by helicopter. ... There will be terrible suffering." Camels were first brought to Australia to help explorers travel through the desert, and now an estimated 1 million roam wild across the country. They compete with sheep and cattle for food, trample vegetation and invade remote settlements in search of water, scaring residents as they tear apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes. Docker River residents were not especially concerned when about 30 camels came into the town looking for water a few weeks ago, said Graham Taylor, head of the local council. But their fears grew as more animals arrived day by day. He said many people were too frightened to leave their homes because of the big, strong animals, which can grow up to 7 feet tall and weigh 2,000 pounds. "We need to get the risk and that threat away from the people," Taylor said.[/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577116,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g4:r4:c0.000000:b29075298:z10[/url] Animal problem? Shoot 'em.

I wonder if Sarah Palin will be there. Helicopter hunt is her favorite gamemode.

Left to rot? They would make good camel burgers!

Jesus Christ, I wasn't aware that camels were so destructive and verminous. Smashing fences and tanks? That sounds pretty fucking scary, actually.

Damn, if camels can smash tanks, we better get our troops out of the Middle East really fast :smug:

[QUOTE=Shugo;18592726]Jesus Christ, I wasn't aware that camels were so destructive and verminous. Smashing fences and tanks? That sounds pretty fucking scary, actually.[/QUOTE] I don't think one alone is destructive like that. I'm guessing that any animal in such unnatural numbers would cause some sort of devastation as much as these camels.

I wonder what PETA will do once they catch wind of this.

[QUOTE=leet;18593170]I wonder what PETA will do once they catch wind of this.[/QUOTE] I'm tempted to call them, just to watch the drama.

[QUOTE=Shugo;18592726]Jesus Christ, I wasn't aware that camels were so destructive and verminous. Smashing fences and tanks? That sounds pretty fucking scary, actually.[/QUOTE] Tank Camel. Silly Australians.

The mental image of reading the title was [i]hilarious[/i]

[quote]Australian authorities plan to corral about 6,000 wild camels with [B]helicopters[/B] and gun them down [/quote] hahah what im getting images of like an Apocalypse Now scene

I can't really blame them for doing this.

This makes sense and is completely reasonable, why is the post icon 'Stupid'?

It could cost 19 million to kill 6000 camels? What the fuck?

[img]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/wanvadder/1246290631504.jpg[/img] related

[QUOTE=hypno-toad;18593603]It's going to cost 19 million to kill 6000 camels? What the fuck?[/QUOTE] It'll be fun though! :buddy:

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;18593616]It'll be fun though! :buddy:[/QUOTE] For that much money you could design, build, and program unmanned robots to race through the desert shooting any camel-like objects (hopefully camels).

Let's hope it goes better than the great emu war

[QUOTE=hypno-toad;18593661]For that much money you could design, build, and program unmanned robots to race through the desert shooting any camel-like objects (hopefully camels).[/QUOTE] "man, aren't we a bit far out of town to be trick-or-treating? this camel costume is really starting to get hot" yeah lets see how that would turn out.

[QUOTE=TropicalV2;18593696]"man, aren't we a bit far out of town to be trick-or-treating? this camel costume is really starting to get hot" yeah lets see how that would turn out.[/QUOTE] Just put long range smell receptors on the robots. the only thing it could possibly confuse a camel for at that point is Paris Hilton in exercise tights, and nobody would care anyways.

Hope you Aussies make it over that hump.

[QUOTE=JLea;18593365]hahah what im getting images of like an Apocalypse Now scene[/QUOTE] Camel don't surf.

[QUOTE=TropicalV2;18593606][img]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/wanvadder/1246290631504.jpg[/img] related[/QUOTE] My first thought too.

D'aww, poor camels. :(

[quote]smashing tanks[/quote] How exactly does a camel smash a tank?

[QUOTE=Magicgism;18600688]How exactly does a camel smash a tank?[/QUOTE] My thoughts exactly

[QUOTE=GaynericMonk;18600661]D'aww, poor camels. :([/QUOTE] Camels are fucking gross. I'd help out of I could

What the fuck with australian ? Why do they alway have to kill wild animals ?

[QUOTE=Magicgism;18600688]How exactly does a camel smash a tank?[/QUOTE] I think they mean water tanks, not military tanks.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;18601662]I think they mean water tanks, not military tanks.[/QUOTE] You have to admit it would be badass if they WERE military tanks.