ANIMALS are to be both cherished and terminated in large numbers under the Federal Government's latest round of funding for environment projects.

The fates of a veritable Noah's Ark of beasts, including feral camels, cane toads, island-based rodents and the ubiquitous rabbit, were sealed yesterday when the Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, announced $403 million in spending under its Caring for our Country program.

Native species can expect to benefit from an intensified war on invasive animals, along with grazing animals, which would theoretically mean less competition for fodder.

Feral camels are top of the "to-shoot" list, in what Mr Garrett claimed would be the "most significant" effort to control their numbers since the animals were introduced in the 19th century. The Herald was pushing for camel importation to ease outback transport problems in 1837, and the first dromedary, named Harry, arrived from the Canary Islands in 1840.

Within a few decades stray camels were going feral, and the Government estimates there are now a million of them roving an area of 3.3 million square kilometres in central and northern Australia.