Danger of cruelty in park hunting

The RSPCA has denounced moves to allow recreational hunting in WA national parks, saying it will cause unnecessary suffering to animals and do nothing to reduce pest numbers.

An Upper House committee is examining whether WA should follow Victoria and NSW and open up national parks and nature reserves to hunters.

At a hearing last week, RSPCA State president Lynne Bradshaw said there was no evidence that the move would reduce feral animals such as pigs and foxes.

Instead, she said the practice had led to worse environmental outcomes and that recreational hunters had been known to release feral animals to boost hunting stocks.

Mrs Bradshaw said recreational hunters often lacked the skill or experience to kill an animal humanely and it would be better for the Government to hire professional marksmen to cull pests.

"What we're seeing is shooting for sport being dressed up as pest control," she said.

"Feral animal control needs to be done under proper conditions with strict management plans.

"Maybe we could channel some of those people who are expert marksmen into doing a more structured role in one of those formal management plans."

Immediately before the RSPCA appeared, groups pushing for the change had another blow when the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council outlined its opposition to the idea.

Justin McAllister, a senior manager with the council, said even though Noongar people were allowed to hunt in specified areas, the proposal before the committee was "vastly" different.

Mr Shaw said traditional hunting was "intrinsically linked" to Aboriginal culture and heritage and recreational hunting should not be "confused" with it.

Underlining the importance of the council's views, it is understood any proposal for hunting on crown land would need the approval of the relevant native title group.