Professional shooters riding helicopters are going to shoot more than 10,000 camels to death so they can stop drinking water in drought-afflicted South Australia.
The shooters will begin the mass killings on Wednesday.
The killings will be done under the supervision of the Aboriginal leaders in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands.
The killings will come after South Australian locals complained about animals entering communities wreaking havoc as they look for a water source.
Animals were trying to get water from taps and water tanks.
Marita Baker, a member of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, said, “We have been stuck in stinking hot and uncomfortable conditions, feeling unwell, because the camels are coming in and knocking down fences, getting in around the houses and trying to get to water through air-conditioners.”
The animals are also being culled over concerns about greenhouse gas emissions.
Experts say the animals emit methane that is equivalent to one ton of carbon dioxide per year.
A spokesperson from the South Australia Department of Environment and Water said the increasing number of camels had caused several problems in their region.
The spokesperson released a statement about the incident, where he said, “This has resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, danger to families and communities, increased grazing pressure across the APY lands and critical animal welfare issues as some camels die of thirst or trample each other to access water.”
The spokesperson added, “In some cases, dead animals have contaminated important water sources and cultural sites.”
The operation will also help in controlling the camel population in Australia.
As of now, there are nearly 1.2 million camels in Australia.
Authorities will kill 10,000 camels in 5 days.
The carcasses of the camels are going to be left off to dry before they get burned or buried in the ground.
Authorities believe the camel population in Australia will double every 8 to 10 years.