The first mass cull of feral camels in South Australia's remote north-west will start tomorrow, after dry conditions have seen the pest's numbers dramatically increase in the region as they seek water.

Key points: The SA environment department estimates 10,000 camels are flocking to water sources

The SA environment department estimates 10,000 camels are flocking to water sources APY Lands' Richard King said the camels destroy air conditioners to access moisture

APY Lands' Richard King said the camels destroy air conditioners to access moisture Traditional owners previously mustered and sold the camels, but numbers are now too large

The population increase has resulted in significant damage to infrastructure and is a danger to families and communities in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, according to the South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW).

DEW estimates 10,000 camels are flocking to water sources, including tanks, taps and any available water.

APY Lands manager Richard King said the camels had come right into communities looking for water.

"It gives us an opportunity to get them while they're all together, because generally they'll go and move around the desert in smaller herds," he said.

"So while they're all together it's a great time to have a cull and clean out some of the animals that are destroying some of our native vegetation."

Camels seeking water in communities

A DEW spokesperson said the increased number of camels had caused significant damage to infrastructure, danger to families and communities, along with increased grazing pressure across the APY Lands.

"In some cases, dead camels have contaminated important water sources and cultural sites," the spokesperson said.

Mr King said camels could smell water from 5 kilometres away.

"Even the moisture that your air conditioner generates will attract them, and when you've got four or five animals really wanting water — they're quite capable of breaking air conditioners."

Mr King said the cull would provide a buffer zone so communities and children were protected.

Feral camels are considered pests because they destroy pastoral fences and drain water points. ( ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Andy Tyndall )

"Some people, in this sort of weather, are unable to put their air conditioners on, for fear that the animals are going to attack their air conditioners for their moisture."

The DEW spokesperson said for many years, traditional owners in the west of the APY Lands had mustered feral camels for sale, but recently had been "unable to manage the scale and number of camels that congregate in dry conditions".

Mr King said there were so many camels that it would take at least three years to remove them.

"And in that time we've got to feed them … the reality is, we just can't do that," he said.

Mr King said this week's cull was just the start of moves to control the local camel population.

"It will definitely have an impact and it will provide some breathing space, but this cull will be the first of a few," he said.

Cull 'in accordance with highest standards of animal welfare'

Professional shooters are expected to kill between 4,000 to 5,000 camels from helicopters over the next week.

They will be killed away from the community and the carcasses burnt in a couple of weeks when they are dried off.

Mr King said the sooner the animals could be burnt, the better.

"Just to finalise it all, bring them all into one spot, burn and return the ash into the soil," he said.

The DEW spokesperson said the department was supporting the aerial control operation, stating the animals "will be destroyed in accordance with the highest standards of animal welfare".