10,000 feral camels at risk of being shot as they search for water amid Australia’s severe drought

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 08:18:53 -0500

About 10,000 feral camels in a remote area of South Australia are at risk of being killed as severe drought conditions have pushed the animals to consume already scarce water sources.

The shooting is set to start Wednesday and will last for five days, according to Aboriginal leaders in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands.

The area’s local government said in a memo on Facebook that "extremely large groups of camels and other feral animals in and around communities" are putting pressure on remote Aboriginal communities as the camels search for water.

“With the current ongoing dry conditions, the large camel congregations threatening the APY communities and infrastructure, immediate camel control is needed,” the memo reads.

The South Australian Department for Environment and Water estimated that 10,000 camels are flocking to water sources, including tanks, taps and any available water, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"In some cases, dead camels have contaminated important water sources and cultural sites," a DEW spokesperson told the outlet.

APY Lands manager Richard King added that camels could smell water from 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) away.

"Some people, in this sort of weather, are unable to put their air conditioners on, for fear that the animals are going to attack their air conditioners for their moisture," King told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Australia has experienced its hottest and driest year on record, fueling deadly fires across the country that have been blazing since September. So far, 26 people have been killed, 2,000 homes destroyed and an area twice the size of the U.S. state of Maryland has been scorched.

Professional shooters were expected to kill thousands of the animals from helicopters over the next week, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Their carcasses will be left to dry off before they are burned.

Camels were introduced to Australia during the 19th century and used for transport and construction, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. By 2010, scientists estimated that up to one million feral camels roamed the Australian Outback.

The animals eat more than 80 percent of the plant species available, a higher percentage than any other species consumes, according to Pew.

If culling did not take place, camel populations can double every eight to 10 years, according to Pew.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.

24 people charged with intentionally setting Australia fires this season

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 09:49:21 -0500

As the deadly wildfires in Australia continue to rage, authorities say more than 180 people are facing legal action for fire-related offenses since late last year — including two dozen people who have been charged for allegedly setting some of those fires intentionally.

The fires, fueled by drought and the country’s hottest and driest year on record, have been raging since September. The blazes have killed at least 25 people, destroyed 2,000 homes, killed millions of animals and scorched an area twice the size of the U.S. state of Maryland.

The New South Wales Police Force said Monday that it has taken legal action against 183 people for 205 bushfire-related offenses since Nov. 8, 2019, including 40 juveniles.

Authorities said 24 people have been charged over alleged deliberately-lit fires.

Additionally, 53 people have faced legal actions for allegedly failing to comply with a total fire ban and 47 people have had legal actions for allegedly discarding a lit cigarette or match on land.

Starting a bushfire and being reckless in causing its spread can result in up to 21 years in prison, the New South Wales Police Force said.

The legal action ranges “from cautions through to criminal charges,” the police force said.

Across New South Wales, 130 fires were still burning on Tuesday, around 50 of which were uncontrolled.

The day’s cooler, rainier weather was providing thousands of weary firefighters a “psychological and emotional” reprieve as they scrambled to strengthen containment lines around the blazes before temperatures rise again, said Shane Fitzsimmons, commissioner of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

“It really is about shoring up protection to limit the damage potential and the outbreak of these fires over the coming days,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Meanwhile, dozens of celebrities who are originally from Australia spoke up about the devastation during Sunday’s Golden Globes. Many have also taken to social media to talk about their donations and how fans can pitch in.

This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed.

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10,000 feral camels at risk of being shot as they search for water amid Australia’s severe drought

24 people charged with intentionally setting Australia fires this season