A TERRITORY businessman wants the Government to allow him to use feral animals culled in Kakadu to be made into pet food.
Howard Springs pet food supplies owner Terry Halse said he had been culling feral animals for 37 years.
He said he formerly had contracts for feral animal control in Kakadu when the Territory Government controlled the area and still had Territory Government contracts for using the meat from feral animals from places including Litchfield National Park.
This year, he put a proposal to the Kakadu Board of Management to use the culled animals but was refused.
Kakadu is jointly managed by traditional owners and the national parks director within the Federal Environment Department. The board determines policy for managing the park.
"We were in the Kakadu area when the NT Government had control," he said.
"We never had any problem going in, they were letting out contracts and we used to go in and bone out feral animals when the park first started.
"We've been in there a few times afterwards when there were huge numbers.
"They are getting shot anyway but my argument is, why can't they put it out to a contractor who lives in the Territory?"
Mr Halse said they sold meat from up to 5000 feral horses, buffaloes, cattle and pigs per year, also using animals obtained from private properties.
He said with the NT Government, even if other contractors did the hunting, the Government allowed his butchers to go in and take the meat.
"They (Kakadu management) put in for feral animals funding and they get it," he said.
"But they don't go through their options first. We don't get the opportunity to be able to take those animals out on a win-win situation, pay a royalty, utilise all the stock."
The Kakadu National Park Board of Management did not return calls yesterday.
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