Kill Camels to Save the Planet?

I ran across a story today on Yahoo about a plan being proposed in Australia to put a bounty on wild camels there--because their methane emissions are an ecological problem! The government says that the more than a million of these large animals cause various other kinds of destruction as well.

As a camel enthusiast (many years ago) this is pretty bizarre. And it's not a pleasant concept to anyone, really.

However, each camel reportedly burps out 100 pounds of methane a year, which is a lot, I guess. The EPA says it's about a sixth the amount of a car. And, it is true that our ecosystem must absorb emissions from many things besides factories and cars. I have heard more than once that cow flatulence is a significant cause of problems as well.

Somehow, "Go Green--Shoot a Camel" doesn't sound like it has traction, but with Australia's aggressive plan to slash emissions, which starts next year, it could happen.