Turkish aid group seeks to stop Australian camel cull

By Nilay Kar Onum

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey’s leading aid agency is seeking ways to prevent the mass culling of camels in drought-afflicted South Australia where the animals’ water consumption are threatening communities.

Vice Chairman of Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), Serkan Nergis, said his group would contact colleagues in Australia to try to find what could be done about the situation.

In case of a mass slaughter of camels, Nergis offered to use the meat for the benefit of consumers. “For example ... their meats could be distributed to the needy," he said on Twitter. "I hope we can get a result."

Thousands of camels in Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands in South Australia’s far northwest, are planned to be killed this week by snipers from helicopters.

"There is extreme pressure on remote Aboriginal communities in the APY lands and their pastoral operations as the camels search for water," according to a Facebook statement from APY authorities.

"With the ongoing dry conditions and the large camel congregations threatening all of the main APY communities and infrastructure, immediate camel control is needed,” it added.