Quote:
Originally Posted by billybunter
I've been downunder a few times. Some of the wildlife is bloody scary! I went into the garage to use my Uncle's car and heard a hissing noice  It was a snake. BB backed out shitting himself. Went to Steve Irwins zoo. I didn't like the crocs! And he used to wrestle with them! |
Snakes are nothing unless your out in the middle of nowhere and bitten by one of them...but then given Ireland is one of the few places on earth that doesnt have them I understand your fear
Now 1,000,000 feral camels roaming the middle of Australia...their trouble with a capital T
in the wrong conditions....cue the drought
by Staff Writers
Sydney (AFP) Nov 25, 2009
Some 6,000 feral camels are running wild in a remote Australian outback community in search of water, smashing infrastructure and invading the airstrip, officials said Wednesday.
As long-running drought grips parts of the country, residents of at least one central Australian town are scared to leave their homes because of the rampaging dromedaries, the Northern Territory government said.
"The community of Docker River is under siege by 6,000 marauding, wild camels," Local Government Minister Rob Knight said.
In recent weeks, the thirsty animals have invaded the township seeking water, taking over the airstrip and destroying facilities in their way.
"This is a significant community -- some 350 people -- where they've actually come right into the community, smashing infrastructure, so it's become a critical situation," Knight said.
"There are health issues, there's camels being trampled and dead carcasses in the community.
"They are smashing over water mains and intruding on the airstrip causing problems with medical evacuations."
More than a million feral camels -- the largest wild herd on earth -- roam central Australia, damaging fragile desert ecosystems and water sources.
The camels, along with donkeys and horses, are also destroying revegetation projects in the desert communities by ripping up plants.
The local council has been given extra money to cull the animals but Macdonnell Shire chief executive Graham Taylor said urgent action was needed.
"We are concerned really about the issue of children running around and wanting to play with the camels," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"There will also probably be the social and psychological impact on some people about being contained in homes and not being able to step out."
Taylor said helicopters would be used to herd the animals outside town where they would be shot.
Camels were introduced into Australia as pack animals for the vast outback in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but were released into the wild as rail and road travel became more widespread.
With few natural predators and vast sparsely-populated areas in which to roam, the feral animal population has soared, putting pressure on native species by reducing food sources, destroying habitat and spreading disease.
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/60..._town_999.html
If I had a choice between most dangerous in Australia any of the big feral animals are ten times worse than the poisonous reptiles & arachnids
This story about a farmer,his dog and kangaroo puts SKIPPY into perspective
Their every bit as dangerous as anything down under
A daily walk with his two dogs turned into a nightmare for Australian farmer Chris Rickard who was attacked by a kangaroo in a violent 30-minute rampage on his property today.
Mr Rickard, 49, was left with injuries to his face, chest and abdomen after going to the rescue of his blue heeler cattle dog, Rocky. The dog was being drowned by a 5ft eastern grey kangaroo in a bizarre encounter on his 20-acre farm at Arthur’s Creek in north eastern Victoria.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6927956.ece