Camels were introduced to Australia in the 19th Century as desert transport creatures. Australian officials say the country’s camel population has grown to about 700,000 in recent years and because they have no local predators, their numbers are growing by an estimated 11% per year, and population size has been doubling about once every eight years. State land officials decided a cull was the most efficient way to manage camel numbers. “The simplest, quickest and most cost effective way of doing that is an aerial cull,” said rural lands inspector Chris Turner. Marksmen riding in helicopters would track the camels and shoot them from the air, Mr Turner told Australia’s ABC radio.