Review of the management of feral animals and their impact on ...

‘Camels will be extensively culled <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> native rock holes re-established by
digging <strong>and</strong> cleaning. This will restore <strong>the</strong> delicate balance that existed before
<strong>the</strong> explosion in camel numbers.’
In April 2005 a camel workshop was held in Alice Springs to address <strong>the</strong> growing
camel problem. Several issues were addressed:
• The need to foster a national approach towards camel control <strong>and</strong> exploitation
• The need to protect key natural assets <strong>and</strong> farm infrastructure
• The need to determine an environmentally acceptable density <strong>of</strong> wild camels
• Clarification <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> camel industry in control.
The last question was not answered. Some industry players oppose any culling,
arguing that <strong>the</strong> camel industry can solve <strong>the</strong> <strong>feral</strong> problem, but o<strong>the</strong>rs are more
realistic <strong>and</strong> accept that immediate action is needed, <strong>and</strong> that camel harvesting across
<strong>the</strong> entire range <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> camel will never be practical. Government representatives at
<strong>the</strong> meeting have agreed to <strong>the</strong> first co-ordinated interstate cull <strong>of</strong> camels. More
investment is needed in culling in Western Australia, <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory <strong>and</strong>
South Australia. Harvesting <strong>of</strong> camels for pet meat or blood <strong>and</strong> bone may assist in
camel control in some regions, but culling <strong>of</strong> camels should not be delayed by claims
that lucrative markets for camel products lie just around <strong>the</strong> corner. Aboriginal
communities should not be deceived into believing that <strong>the</strong>ir wild camel stocks
represent a valuable resource (Section 7.2.1).
7.1.3 Buffalo
Buffalo numbers were greatly reduced in <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Territory for <strong>the</strong> Brucellosis
<strong>and</strong> Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign. Prior to this campaign buffalo were causing
enormous l<strong>and</strong>scape damage, including <strong>the</strong> destruction <strong>of</strong> vast wetl<strong>and</strong>s from buffalo
swimways which promoted drainage <strong>of</strong> freshwater <strong>and</strong> subsequent saltwater intrusion,
caused deaths <strong>of</strong> many paperbark forests. Since <strong>the</strong> campaign ended, <strong>the</strong> general
perception is that buffalo are now in low numbers <strong>and</strong> having minimal <strong>impact</strong>. This
perception is incorrect. It may have some validity for Kakadu National Park <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r
floodplain habitats near Darwin, but in remote eastern Arnhem L<strong>and</strong>, visited by few
outsiders, buffalo are multiplying <strong>and</strong> serious degradation is underway. The
Brucellosis <strong>and</strong> Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign focused on western Arnhem
L<strong>and</strong> because <strong>the</strong> smaller buffalo population fur<strong>the</strong>r east was found to be disease-free
<strong>and</strong> was thus left alone to multiply. This latter population has now reached very high
densities, is spreading into new catchments, <strong>and</strong> serious environmental degradation is
underway. An environmental <strong>management</strong> report produced for Aboriginal l<strong>and</strong>s in <strong>the</strong>
Top End reports ample evidence <strong>of</strong> serious damage caused by growing numbers <strong>of</strong>
buffalo (Nor<strong>the</strong>rn L<strong>and</strong>s Council 2004). The following quotes come from that report,
<strong>and</strong> refer to Arnhem L<strong>and</strong> catchments.
In <strong>the</strong> Buckingham River Basin:
‘There are large numbers <strong>of</strong> buffalo on <strong>the</strong> Buckingham River itself.
Considerable damage to floodplain, monsoon rainforest <strong>and</strong> riparian habitats
is evident. Buffalo make channels <strong>and</strong> wallows, damaging wetl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong>
floodplains <strong>and</strong> causing salt water intrusion. They are in fact damaging
important food sources for Yolgnu [people] all along <strong>the</strong> major floodplains,
even down to Blue Mud Bay. Around <strong>the</strong> townships <strong>of</strong> Nhulinbuy <strong>and</strong>
Yirrkala, buffalo are a threat to people.’
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