Feral camels out of control! December 09, 2008 9:55 AM
Eat camels to protect environment, Aussies told Tuesday, December 9 07:01 am AFP
Australians were urged Tuesday to eat camels to stop them wreaking environmental havoc, just months after being told to save the world from climate change by consuming kangaroos.
A three-year study has found that Australia's population of more than a million feral camels -- the largest wild herd on earth -- is out of control and damaging fragile desert ecosystems and water sources.
The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre, which produced the report, plans to serve camel meat at a barbecue for senior public servants in Canberra on Wednesday to press its point.
Report co-author Professor Murray McGregor said a good way to bring down the number of camels was to eat them.
"Eat a camel today, I've done it," he told the national AAP news agency.
"It's beautiful meat. It's a bit like beef. It's as lean as lean, it's an excellent health food."
Similar claims are made for kangaroo meat, but the rationale for farming and eating the national emblem -- as outlined by the government's chief climate change adviser in October -- is different.
Millions of farm animals such as cows and sheep produce massive amounts of harmful greenhouse gases, said Professor Ross Garnaut, but kangaroos emit negligible amounts of methane.
Unlike the native kangaroo, 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.
The country has wrestled for years with imported animals brought in as beasts of burden, food sources, for recreational hunting or, ironically, to control agricultural pests.
The Department of the Environment lists animals of "significant concern" as including feral camels, horses, donkeys, pigs, European wild rabbits, European red foxes, cats, goats and cane toads.
With few natural predators and vast sparsely populated areas in which to roam, the populations have soared, putting pressure on native species by preying on them, competing for food, destroying habitats and spreading disease.
No idea really. I had a few drinks by the time I got round to eating it. Plus when you make meatballs you tend to mask the natural flavour. It wasn't exaclty a steak.
I gave it to little brake Going down a "little Hill" December 11, 2008 2:59 AM
and there was a HumpBridge,
an a Set of Tracks;
hit one started to lose it hit the other;
and I was Steering away from the Semitruck Sized Rocks; and into the Quarry Hole;
and throwing myself out of the drivers seat,
to Block my friend that was sitting in a heavy rocking Chair from being thrown forward;
(not that it mattered the wave came in faster than we flew forward)....
Swam to the Top in the back swam down to the door handle and confirmed that the back was still bolted across with a threaded bolt;
(Good Secure inside locking system just not fast)
so Knowing that the passenger door was latched in the open position;
I Said I'm Swimming out the front follow me and Dove under the floating debris,
The Headlights were still on;
Talk ABOUT ThE LIGHT Showing you the way...
A Yes,.. The Magik of Lectricity;
"Mighty Lord TeSla" You are the master Wyzard...
anyway he got lost in the debris;
"I guess he didn't see the light" ....
and I went back;
he grabbed me, But said he just remembered giving up;
Bumped his head on the door frame;
so I had to drag him onto the floating Roof; Where I gave him the Panicked Hippy Version of CPR and a Couple more Bruised Ribs....
I ended up with a bunch of lost stuff that just washed away/Sank; (I was living in it at the time).
a friend lost his discharge (Military) and every thing else that he had stashed temporarily in my van...
and The Tow Company wanted Twice what I payed for the thing to give it back...
The Short Version
oh Yeah I ended up with a tendon cut on my second toe on the left side of my left foot; that the doctor didn't think i needed repaired; Gee Thanks doc... Glad I was Poor so you didn't have to work to hard.. (I was a Proffesional Climber most of my life); after that of Course;
I was Semi pro before;
it did Affect my barefoot Climbing Strength; but since most people don't want you to climb that way; Didn't matter much to my carreer;
But to my recreational climbing it was kinda a drag to lose those Toe grab abilities; every time I break a foot it takes away a little more of my Former Beastlike Strength and Jungle Prowess;
Ah Well;
The Price For Wisdom and Wierd Stories..
This post was modified from its original form on 11 Dec, 3:02