| An Overview of Feral Animals | | | | threaten the survival of native animals by eating |
| Feral animals refer to a group of animals that | | | | their food and destroy the habitat by creating |
| have been domesticated but are now in a steady | | | | burrows. |
| condition that resembles the wild animals. These | | | | The brumby (feral horse), pigs, swamp buffalo |
| animals are off-springs of some pets that have | | | | and camels are animals that have escaped from |
| been discarded by humans and now live in forests | | | | domestication or were released into the wilds. |
| or waste lands. Feral animals do not have human | | | | These animals are quite huge in sizes and they |
| interactions, thus they have reverted to their wild | | | | consume much food. They eat the food of small |
| state and these creatures do not trust humans. | | | | native animals, pollute the water sources by |
| Feral animals in Australia charm the world with | | | | trampling on them and spread diseases to other |
| their perfect mix of danger and exoticness. | | | | animals. |
| The most popular animal that has been given the | | | | A Need for Feral Control |
| term "feral" is the cat because it delivers kittens | | | | It is not a light matter to realize that a |
| that some owners cannot manage to feed and | | | | considerable number of these animals are living in |
| care for. Some of these cats are also abandoned | | | | the Australian forests. |
| by their owners and when they reproduce, these | | | | Hunting them is one way to control the |
| newly-born creatures become more unwanted by | | | | threatening feral population. The cities only have |
| society. The same situation goes for dogs. | | | | either dog or cat pounds but not enough space |
| However, in Australia, feral animals do not only | | | | and manpower for feral and astray animals. Feral |
| comprise of cats and dogs but of bigger kinds like | | | | animals are different from stray ones, because |
| the red fox, the fallow deer, brown hares and | | | | ferals are considered "wild" due to lack of positive |
| rabbits, the swamp buffalo and the single-humped | | | | human interaction. |
| camel. | | | | Bigger animals are hard to capture if they are not |
| Hence, there is a campaign purposed to eradicate | | | | hunted down. Animal shelter is not a feasible |
| feral animals because of their negative effect on | | | | measure for control; it will entail a big cost in |
| animal ecology and to humans as well. They are | | | | maintaining shelters. The same consideration goes |
| no longer called companion animals because they | | | | to building animal sanctuaries; it needs money to |
| have engaged in ferocious behavior suited to their | | | | be implemented. In addition, adoption will not be |
| new habitat. | | | | applicable to these animals; foxes, camels, dingos |
| How Feral Animals Do Harm | | | | and buffalos do not make much attraction of |
| These animals were introduced to Australia by | | | | being held as pets, in the same line as they are |
| early settlers mainly for hunting purposes, and for | | | | now wild. |
| food. Fox hunting was an exciting game, so they | | | | Thus, the idea of hunting feral animals in Australia |
| brought it down under, and red foxes proliferated. | | | | as a kind of control is acceptable. Besides, |
| However, smaller native animals such as birds, | | | | resorting to hunting will not take much work or |
| bilby and bandicoots are eaten by the red fox. | | | | incur large expenses. At any rate, there are |
| The fallow deer, brown hares and rabbits came | | | | enough animals that have been domesticated and |
| from Europe. They were introduced into the | | | | if people want to have pets, they should source |
| forests to be hunted as food. These animals | | | | their animals out of wholly domesticated species. |
| reproduce fast, especially the rabbit family. They | | | | |