Packs of wild camels are wreaking havoc all across the Australian desert, destroying water supplies and machinery on the outskirts of civilization.
And now Australian authorities want people to report camel sightings using Google maps.
Discovery News reports feral camels are a growing problem for Australia, with more than 1 million roaming the desert looking for their next water fix.
Sometimes, that water fix comes from air conditioners or toilet systems, which the camels destroy.
That’s where CamelScan comes in. The site collects reports of camel sightings so authorities can deter damage and control the feral camel population.
From Discovery News:
The camels can chug more than 50 gallons of water in three minutes and their thirst often leads to problems. Sometimes when large numbers of feral camels converge on a small waterhole, the first animals get mired in the holes and die, fouling the water and destroying the waterhole completely. These waterholes are critical resources for humans and native birds and animals.
“There’s no way you’re ever going to eradicate them,” said Murray McGregor of Curtin University in Perth, whose research estimated their numbers. “The key thing is to keep the number controlled to minimize the environmental and cultural damage.”
Since the sight launched earlier this month, there have been roughly 150 sightings.
Read more: “Feral Camels Plague Australian Outback.”