http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/30/2231115.htmGame Council says feral shooting 'a success'
Posted Wed Apr 30, 2008 8:43am AEST
The New South Wales Game Council says more than 11,000 feral animals have been killed in state forests since hunting on public land began two years ago.
Game Council head Brian Boyle says native animals have been helped by the removal of thousands of feral rabbits, goats, pigs and foxes.
"There is a net benefit to the environment because you're removing these animals that target native animals, that remove vegetation, that impact on the environment," he said.
"Some of these include the worst pests, such as feral pigs, foxes and rabbits and by removing them we take the pressure off native animals."
But the NSW National Parks Association says it remains unconvinced of the benefits of the cull.
The association's executive officer Andrew Cox says there is no way of telling if the feral animal cull has benefited the environment.
"But are we getting the proper conservation gains that are going to benefit threatened species across the state in the most important areas?," he said.
The New South Wales Government first allowed hunters onto public land two years ago.
Tags: environment, conservation, rural, pest-management, national-parks, nsw
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