Around 10,000 camels will be shot dead from helicopters in Australia to prevent them from drinking too much water in drought-affected districts.
Professional cullers will be drafted in on Wednesday following an order from Aboriginal leaders in the Anangu Pitjantatjara Yankunytjajara (APY) lands.
The cull could take around five days to complete.
Locals have complained that the animals have been entering communities and wreaking havoc as they attempt to find water from taps and tanks.
Marita Baker, a board member of the APY, told The Australian: "We have been stuck in stinking hot and uncomfortable conditions, feeling unwell, because the camels are coming in and knocking down fences, getting in around the houses trying to get water through air conditioners."
There are also concerns over greenhouse gas emissions with the animals emitting the methane equivalent of one tonne of carbon dioxide a year.
The South Australian Department of Environment and Water said the increasing number of camels had caused several issues in the region.
This has led to "significant damage" to infrastructure, danger to families and communities, increased grazing pressure and critical animal welfare issues as some die of thirst or trample each other to access water.
The carcasses will be left to dry off before they are burned or buried.
Climate change campaigner Craig Hill wrote: "10,000 camels are being culled in Australia as their flatulence supposedly contributes to climate change.
"Considering that human population increased from 1 bil in 1804 to 7.5 bil in 2020, has the increased human flatulence also contributed?"
Camels are not an indigenous species and were introduced to Australia from Afghanistan and India in the 19th Century to help with transport and construction.
Read more of today's top stories
If the cull does not take place, their population would double every decade, according to the National Feral Camel Management Plan.
Estimates that 500 million animals had died in the fires are reportedly conservative, as it did not include invertebrates, bats and frogs.
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here.
