Australia considers crocodile trophy hunting plan

Under the plan, 50 saltwater crocodiles will be available for safari hunting
for a two-year trial period, taken from the annual sustainable harvest quota
of 500 adults already allocated under an existing management programme.

But not everyone is happy, with the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) saying it would take precision and skill to kill
a crocodile humanely.

“There is no possible conservation benefit to be derived from the killing
of crocodiles for trophies, nor does it provide a means of controlling
problem crocodiles,” said RSPCA Australia chief scientist Bidda Jones.

“This is nothing more than killing animals for entertainment and there is
no justification for that.”

Northern Territory environment minister Karl Hampton argued that safari
hunting of feral animals such as buffalo and pig already existed on private
land, and similar strict regulations would apply to crocodiles.

“Just like those safaris, the one proposed as part of our Crocodile
Management plan is subject to the Animal Welfare Act and strict humane
obligations will apply,” Hampton said.

Saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to seven metres long and weigh more
than a ton, are a common feature of Australia’s tropical north and kill an
average of two people a year.

They have been protected since the 1970s with their population estimated at
over 150,000.

Source: AFP

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