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Feral camel 'plague' forces pastoralists to shoot thousands and call for urgent cull

By Jarrod Lucas

Updated 24 January 2019 at 7:53 pm

Thousands of feral camels have been shot on pastoral properties on the edge of the Gibson Desert. (ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Andy Tyndall)
Pastoralists in Western Australia's remote northern Goldfields say they have shot at least 2,500 camels in the past month, claiming the feral pests are running in "plague proportions".

Damaged wind mill in outback and camels standing next to it
Camels have caused widespread damage on Lake Wells Station. (Supplied: Jenny Smith)

Camels emerge from the Gibson Desert, one of the world's largest, spanning more than 156,000 square kilometres, in search of water every summer.

Most are in poor condition, destroying fences, stealing feed, and draining water points meant for cattle.

This year is the worst summer Lake Wells Station owner Les Smith can remember, and he has joined fellow pastoralists in calling for the State Government to fund an urgent cull.

"They're multiplying every year, they're multiplying in the thousands, millions," Mr Smith told the ABC.

"The other day there were 200 camels at one windmill.

"I only took a couple of packets of bullets out with me because I was fixing a windmill, and when I saw that mob I shot 31."

Groups of up to 200 feral camels have been spotted in WA's remote northern Goldfields. (ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Andy Tyndall)
Thirsty camels in 'shocking' condition
Tim Carmody owns the 485,000-hectare Prenti Downs Station, 300km east of Wiluna, where temperatures have reached 50 degrees Celsius this summer.

Mr Carmody said the situation had left pastoralists "distraught", with about 1,200 camels shot since Boxing Day on his property alone.

The carcasses were left to rot because camels were considered too difficult to muster and the market price for camel meat was not worth the effort.

"These numbers are just unprecedented," Mr Carmody said.

"There have been three very good years in the desert and the camels have been breeding up. At least one-third of the camels we're seeing are young camels and they're in shocking condition.

"I can't tell you how heartbreaking, soul-destroying it is to see these animals in this condition … anyone who works with animals [knows] it's very hard.

"We've seen them on the lake where they've walked onto the lake trying to find water and a group of 36 all got bogged in one spot and we've had to euthanase them."

Feral camels are considered pests because they destroy pastoral fences and drain water points. (ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Andy Tyndall)
Aerial shoot fails to control numbers
A bushfire sparked by lightning on January 2, and which burnt through about 210,000ha, was also believed to have pushed more wild camels further west towards the pastoral properties.

Goldfields Nullarbor Rangelands Biosecurity Association (GNRBA) chief executive, Michelle Donaldson, said a five-day camel shoot was conducted north of Wiluna in November.

She said the campaign used a helicopter and cost more than $100,000.

"They are in plague proportions and doing incredible damage up there at the moment," Ms Donaldson said.

"We do one controlled aerial shoot a year and we don't have the funding to be able to do more than that."

Mr Smith suggested the Government put a bounty on camels.

WA trialled something similar in the Murchison region in 2014 when pastoralists were able to collect $100 for every wild dog they killed.

"Why not make it $50 for every camel and that way the pastoralists get something out of it, which covers them for their time and ammunition?" Mr Smith said.

A researcher prepares to inspect camels killed during an aerial shoot in central Australia in 2014. (ABC: Jordan Hampton)
Feral camels have reached 'plague proportions'
Leonard Snell's family has owned the 405,000-hectare Wongawol Station since the 1950s and also runs the similar-sized Carnegie Station.

Mr Snell said the camels had reached "plague proportions" and a significant cull was needed.

He said camel shooters at Carnegie Station had been firing so many rounds that they almost ran out and had to borrow ammunition from their neighbours at Prenti Downs Station.

"We've supported any aerial cull they've had, but I don't think they've been very effective," he said.

"It takes up a considerable amount of time for pastoralists because you've got to go shoot them and then drag them away from water points.

"I don't know how many cattle would be dying or perishing because the camels have drunk all the water.

"You can't handle them [camels]. There are people who want to buy them but the price they're offering is not even worth trying to herd them because they're a sod of an animal to handle, they just wreck everything."

Pastoralists are calling for a cull of feral camels in outback WA. (ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Andy Tyndall)
New strategy for feral pests being planned
Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan speaking into microphones while being interviewed by journalists
Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan says a long-term plan is being developed to tackle feral camels. (ABC News: Jacob Kagi)
WA's Agriculture Minister, Alannah MacTiernan, said she would be speaking to the GNRBA to discuss what could be done and how her department might be able to help.

"Longer term, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is developing a state-wide strategic plan for effective management of large feral herbivores, which includes camels," she said.

Mr Carmody said the amount of damage camels caused was hard to comprehend.

"The camel is a survivor and they can drink about 200 litres of water in a minute and a half, so if a big mob hit your water point and it's unprotected, they will drain your tanks and then your cattle are left with no water," he said.

"The camels will push cattle away, they're a big animal, they're a very powerful animal, and they will keep the other animals away."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2019-0...usands/10737400

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