Australia begins aerial cull of 600 feral camels amid drought

Australian officials have conducted a three-day aerial cull, resulting in the deaths of around 600 feral camels in the country's arid interior. The measure was taken in response to large herds moving into remote Indigenous communities, causing significant damage while searching for scarce water during a prolonged dry spell.

Reason for the Cull

Local media, citing reports from broadcaster SBS News, stated that blistering weather and drought conditions have driven the camels towards human settlements. Residents near Mt. Liebig and Papunya reported seeing a "camel train" of 800 to 1,000 animals stretching up to 5 kilometers in length. These herds have damaged water mains, fences, and other infrastructure critical to the remote communities.

Coordinated Management Effort

The cull was approved and carried out by a joint taskforce that included the Northern Territory government, the MacDonnell Regional Council, and the Central Land Council (CLC). The CLC reported that the operation aimed to cull about 150 camels per day to quickly mitigate the threat. This intervention is part of ongoing management strategies for Australia's large population of invasive camels, which were first introduced in the 19th century.

Historical Context of Feral Camels

Camels were brought to Australia in the 1840s, and by 2008, their feral population was estimated at around one million across several states. A major federal management project between 2008 and 2013 removed over 160,000 animals. The current cull represents a continued effort to control an invasive species that competes with native wildlife and impacts fragile ecosystems and communities, especially during periods of extreme drought.