TORRES NEWS (Thursday Island, Australia) 22 November 06 'People don't know what they're talking about'
A Liberal Party State conference decision to support the culling of crocodiles has been described as a “classic example of people who don’t know what they are talking about” by the Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch.
“They simply don’t know the subject; they’re doing it on emotion or speculation,” Mr Entsch, a Liberal, told the Torres News.
“It’s highly unlikely you could get a hunting regime in Queensland; there just aren’t the numbers.”
Mr Entsch, a former crocodile farmer, knows his subject well.
“It wasn’t the hunting that was wiping out the crocs; it was the loss of habitat. The International Union of Conservation of Nature includes culling of larger animals. And there is a component for trophy hunting in the Northern Territory.
“It needs to be understood that bigger animals are far less valuable from not only their skin value but they also don’t breed. Their skin by that stage is usually damaged from fighting other crocs.”
Mr Entsch relates his experiencing on his crocodile farm. “I once had a six-metre male croc who wiped out 11 females. He didn’t want to breed and just wanted to protect his territory; we had to have him shot.
“I know another who killed five females before he was destroyed. Removing them allows young males to breed again and renew the population.
“If larger crocs are a problem, trap them or destroy them.”
Mr Entsch says in most areas where crocs occur they’re not a problem.
“They have a role in the eco-system, but where they are problem, remove them.”
Mr Entsch supports the trophy-hunting concept in the N.T.
“There is no such programme in Queensland.
“Trophy hunters who come mainly from the U.S.A. pay $US35,000 for the right. Plus they pay for all their expenses such as guides, accommodation and supplies etc.
“I estimate that the local community would benefit from between $150,000-$200,000 per animal.
“The call for culling shows a lack of understanding for the industry or crocs.”
The culling move was proposed by Townsville’s Senator Ian Macdonald after recent sightings in the region.
'People don't know what they're talking about'