Australia gets the hump with camels
Published 09 December, 2008, 09:39
A three-year study has revealed that Australia’s camel population is out of control. More than a million of the beasts, known as ships of the desert, are hoovering up scarce resources. But boffins down under have tabled a solution to the problem, which may soon be appearing on menus in the southern hemisphere.
Australia has the world's largest herd of wild camels. They are inflicting major damage on fragile desert ecosystems, water sources, rare plants and animals, and indigenous sites, the report claims.
Nevertheless, one of the reports co-authors, Murray McGregor, is optimistic. He says a good way to bring down the number of camels is to eat them.
“Eat a camel today, I've done it,” Professor McGregor said.
“It's beautiful meat. It's a bit like beef. It's as lean as lean, it's an excellent health food,” he added.
Professor McGregor said although camels are “ugly” and spit, diners should put that out of their minds as they tuck into a camel stew.
Australians have already been urged to eat more kangaroo for environmental reasons. National climate adviser Ross Garnaut recently suggested kangaroos should be farmed like sheep or cattle. Kangaroos do not emit methane, a noxious greenhouse gas which is burped up by other livestock.
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