Camels Under Aerial Gunfire In Australia's Mass Kill Project

A camel in the Northern Territory. Photo by Caddie Brain. Pet camels getting popular, abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201206/s3534639.htm

IF IT GETS IN OUR WAY, WE SHOOT IT
That�s apparent policy in Australia, a nation that kills camels in ruthless aerial hunts and kangaroos by the millions each year. The Feral Camel Project seeks to wipeout 650,000+ camels in 4 years, with aerial shoots underway to kill 50,000 camels from the Northern Territory in 2012. Press reports indicate 25,000 camels have already been gunned down. Aerial slaughter is profoundly cruel. Animals harassed to exhaustion are shot from low-flying aircraft. Wounded camels die slowly from blood loss and shock, while orphaned young succumb to starvation and dehydration. Ask authorities to use nonviolent exclusion and deterrent systems. Wholesale slaughter ultimately boosts herd growth. Studies show that hunted populations bounce back in greater numbers due to ample food stocks and space.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
CHOOSE A WAY TO PROTEST

BY AUTOMATED PETITION: Send letter as part of a web-generated petition from Kinship Circle.

OR, TO GET BETTER RESULTS FOR ANIMALS�

BY DIRECT EMAIL, FAX OR MAIL: Send letter from you, rather than bundled in an e-petition from KinshipCircle.org.

ALERT TARGETS
There are many email recipients for this alert! If you get an email failure message that does NOT mean all emails failed.

Jan Ferguson, Managing Director, Feral Camel Management Project
Dept. of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, Communities
Tony Burke MP, Minister for DSEWPC
Standing Council on Primary Industries (SCoPI)
Standing Council on Environment and Water
Paul Raymond Henderson MLA, Chief Minister
Delia Phoebe Lawrie MLA, Deputy Chief Minister
Konstantine Vatskalis MLA, Industry, Fisheries, Resources Minister
Malarndirri Barbara Anne McCarthy MLA, Tourism Minister
Karl Hampton MLA, Resources, Environment, Heritage Minister
NRETAS Northern Territory
James Grant, Chief Executive Officer
Environment, Heritage and Arts Division

BOTTOM PHOTO: A dead camel near Newhaven Reserve, NT. by Caddie Brain. Camel culling ramps up in the Red Centre

action

Dear Director Jan Ferguson, Honorable Ministers and Officials of Australia:

The Australian Feral Camel Management Project (AFCMP) lists aerial and ground culls among other lethal means to "manage feral camels and mitigate their impacts." Initiated in 2009 to kill some 650,000 camels over four years, AFCMP aerial shoots are underway to wipeout 50,000 camels from the Northern Territory in 2012. Press reports indicate 25,000 camels have already been gunned down.

AFCMP authors are concerned about "Community Perceptions." Please register my perception, shared by others in the global community: The Australian government�s apparent policy with regard to animals is "If it gets in our way, we shoot it. "

No other conclusion can be drawn from the escalated use of aerial slaughter, a profoundly cruel practice. Animals are harassed to exhaustion. Killers then fire from low-flying aircraft, often merely wounding them. Most injured camels go undetected and die painfully from blood loss and shock. Young or weak animals orphaned by the culls succumb to starvation and dehydration. Aerial hunts are so ruthless, people worldwide advocate bans against them.

In recent years, the world has questioned Australia�s brutal style of wildlife stewardship � particularly the kangaroo cull that claims millions each year, along with sweeping eradication of camels. Ultimately, mass bloodshed across high-visibility areas can alienate tourists and cut revenue from Australia�s tourism industry. I personally will not spend my vacation dollars in a country with so little respect for its wild animals.

I implore authorities to replace aerial hunts with exclusion and deterrent systems. Nonviolent strategies endure for the long haul. Conversely, wholesale slaughter is a synthetic response that actually boosts herd growth. Survivors rebound due to ample food stocks and space. With territorial issues reduced, mating is a prime focus and reproduction rates rise. Indeed, studies show that seasonally hunted populations eventually bounce back in greater numbers.

Please stop aerial hunts now. I respectfully ask officials to tackle wildlife conflicts with a more ethical mindset and deference to natural cycles that balance ecosystems.

Thank you,

YOUR FULL NAME
ADDRESS, CITY, STATE
COUNTRY

alert info

NINTI ONE LIMITED, Feral Camel Management Project (AFCMP)
Jan Ferguson, Managing Director
Ninti One Limited
ABN: 28 106 610 833
PO Box 3971
Alice Springs, NT, 0871
ph: 0401 719 882, +61 8 8959 6039
email: jan.ferguson@nintione.com.au, info@feralcamels.com.au
SOURCE: nintione.com.au...NationalCulturalPolicy...NintiOneOct11.pdf

Australian Feral Camel Management Project
Head Office: Desert Knowledge Precinct
South Stuart Highway Australia
ALICE SPRINGS, NT 0871, Australia

Adelaide office: 7 Hackney Road
HACKNEY, SA 5089
PO Box 154, Kent Town SA 5071, Australia
ph: +61 8 8959 6000, email: info@nintione.com.au
SOURCE: www.feralcamels.com.au/contact-us-0

A pack of wild camels congregate near a leaking water tap in the Northern Territory. Photo by Sara Everingham. ABC News, Feral camel cull project pushes for more kills, abc.net.au/news/2012-03-21/territory-feral-camel-cull-and- background/3903744

MAIN GOVERNMENT CONTACTS FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
switchboard: +61 2 6274 1111
SOURCE: www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/contacts/index.html

Hon. Tony Burke MP, Minister for Department Of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
email: Tony.Burke.MP@environment.gov.au
SOURCE: environment.gov.au/minister/burke/connect.html

Standing Council on Primary Industries (SCoPI)
SCoPI Secretariat
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
ph: +61 2 6272 4995, email: scopi@daff.gov.au
SOURCE: www.mincos.gov.au/contact
Formerly the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council: On 2/13/11 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to reform the ministerial council system and announced that 12 new standing councils would be established � including a standing council on primary industries and another on environment and water. The councils would replace the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council and the Primary Industries Ministerial Council.

Standing Council on Environment and Water
Executive Officer
Secretariat
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
ph: (02) 6274 1819, fax: (02) 6274 2505
email: SCEW.Secretariat@environment.gov.au
SOURCE: environment.gov.au/about/councils/scew/index.html
The COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water (Council) was established following the 2010 review of the ministerial council system by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). It incorporates the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC).

NORTHERN TERRITORY GOVERNMENT, AUSTRALIA
Hon. Paul Raymond Henderson MLA, Chief Minister
GPO Box 3146
Darwin NT 0801
ph: 08 8901 4000, fax: 08 8901 4099
email: Chief.Minister@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: www.nt.gov.au/ntg/chiefmin.shtml

Hon. Delia Phoebe Lawrie MLA, Deputy Chief Minister
GPO Box 3146�/�Darwin NT 0801
ph: 08 8901 4047, fax: 08 8901 4169
email: minister.lawrie@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: www.nt.gov.au/ntg/chiefmin.shtml

Hon. Konstantine Vatskalis MLA
Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources
GPO Box 3146�/�Darwin NT 0801
ph: 08 8901 4118, fax: 08 8901 4119
email: minister.vatskalis@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: www.nt.gov.au/ntg/chiefmin.shtml

Hon. Malarndirri Barbara Anne McCarthy MLA
Minister for Local Government�/�Regional Development
Minister for Indigenous Development�/�Minister for Tourism
GPO Box 3146�/�Darwin NT 0801
ph: 08 8901 4072, fax: 08 8901 4080
email: minister.mccarthy@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: www.nt.gov.au/ntg/chiefmin.shtml

Honourable Karl Hampton MLA
Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage
Minister for Parks and Wildlife�/�Minister for Climate Change
Minister for Central Australia
GPO Box 3146�/�Darwin NT 0801
ph: 08 8901 4053, fax: 08 8901 4060
email: minister.hampton@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: www.nt.gov.au/ntg/chiefmin.shtml

A feral camel near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Photo by Caddie Brain. Senator threatens inquiry into slow progress of camel cull, abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201204/s3476571.htm

NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT, THE ARTS AND SPORT
Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport
NRETAS Northern Territory
Goyder Building
25 Chung Wah Terrace, Palmerston
POSTAL: PO Box 496
Palmerston NT 0831
ph: 08 8999 5511

Mr. James Grant, Chief Executive Officer
Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern Territory, Dept. of Natural Resources, Environment, Arts and Sport
PO Box 496�/�Palmerston, NT 0831
Australia
ph: +61 (8) 8999-3499
email: jim.grant@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/directory_oceania_april2012.pdf,
mineralscouncil.com.au/file...MCA-NT_Limmen_Park_May_2012.pdf

NRETAS Northern Territory
Parks and Wildlife - Conservation and Wildlife
Darwin region, headquarters
564 Vanderlin Drive
Berrimah, NT 0828, AUSTRALIA
ph: +61 08 8995 5008, mobile: 0401 110 205
fax: +61 08 8995 5099
POSTAL: PO Box 496
Palmerston, NT 0831, AUSTRALIA
SOURCE: nretas.nt.gov.au/home/contactus/wildlife

NRETAS Northern Territory
Environment, Heritage and the Arts Division
PO Box 496�/�Palmerston, NT 0831

2nd Floor
Darwin Plaza Building
41 Smith Street
Darwin, NT 0800
Australia
email: environment.nreta@nt.gov.au
SOURCE: nretas.nt.gov.au/home/contactus/environment

emails only

jan.ferguson@nintione.com.au, info@feralcamels.com.au, info@nintione.com.au, Tony.Burke.MP@environment.gov.au, scopi@daff.gov.au, SCEW.Secretariat@environment.gov.au, Chief.Minister@nt.gov.au, minister.lawrie@nt.gov.au, minister.vatskalis@nt.gov.au, minister.mccarthy@nt.gov.au, minister.hampton@nt.gov.au, jim.grant@nt.gov.au, environment.nreta@nt.gov.au

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Comments: The Australian Feral Camel Management Project (AFCMP) lists aerial and ground culls among other lethal means to "manage feral camels and mitigate their impacts." Initiated in 2009 to kill some 650,000 camels over four years, AFCMP aerial shoots are underway to wipeout 50,000 camels from the Northern Territory in 2012. Press reports indicate 25,000 camels have already been gunned down. AFCMP authors are concerned about "Community Perceptions." Please register my perception, shared by others in the global community: The Australian government's apparent policy with regard to animals is "If it gets in our way, we shoot it." No other conclusion can be drawn from the escalated use of aerial slaughter, a profoundly cruel practice. Animals are harassed to exhaustion. Killers then fire from low-flying aircraft, often merely wounding them. Most injured camels go undetected and die painfully from blood loss and shock. Young or weak animals orphaned by the culls succumb to starvation and dehydration. Aerial hunts are so ruthless, people worldwide advocate bans against them. In recent years, the world has questioned Australia's brutal style of wildlife stewardship -- particularly the kangaroo cull that claims millions each year, along with sweeping eradication of camels. Ultimately, mass bloodshed across high-visibility areas can alienate tourists and cut revenue from Australia's tourism industry. I personally will not spend my vacation dollars in a country with so little respect for its wild animals. I implore authorities to replace aerial hunts with exclusion and deterrent systems. Nonviolent strategies endure for the long haul. Conversely, wholesale slaughter is a synthetic response that actually boosts herd growth. Survivors rebound due to ample food stocks and space. With territorial issues reduced, mating is a prime focus and reproduction rates rise. Indeed, studies show that seasonally hunted populations eventually bounce back in greater numbers. Please stop aerial hunts now. I respectfully ask officials to tackle wildlife conflicts with a more ethical mindset and deference to natural cycles that balance ecosystems. Thank you,