History of Culling in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: February 6, 2025

Culling is the process of removing organisms from a group based on specific traits. In animal breeding, it aims to enhance desirable or eliminate undesirable characteristics by altering the population's genetic makeup. This involves selecting animals with desired traits for breeding and excluding those with undesired traits. For livestock and wildlife, culling often involves killing the removed animals. This can be based on factors like sex, species, or disease prevention. The goal is to improve the overall quality or health of the population.

1950: Start of Shark Culling in New South Wales

Shark culling began in New South Wales in 1950, resulting in the death of numerous sharks and other marine animals over several decades.

1972: Germany's Animal Welfare Act

Germany's Animal Welfare Act of 1972 mandated that zoo animals cannot be culled without verification from official veterinary institutes.

1972: National Parks and Wildlife Act

The National Parks and Wildlife Act of 1972 listed seals as a protected species, contributing to the tension between the state and the fishing industry.

1995: Culling Ban at Kruger National Park

In 1995, culling was banned at Kruger National Park in South Africa, leading to a significant increase in the elephant population.

2001: Start of Queensland Shark Culling

Queensland's lethal drum line program began in 2001, resulting in thousands of shark deaths in under two decades.

2008: End of Initial Period of NSW Shark Cull

By 2008, over 350 tiger sharks and over 570 great white sharks were killed, in addition to thousands of other marine animals.

September 2014: Western Australian Shark Cull Controversy

In September 2014, the Western Australian government abandoned its controversial shark culling program after it failed to catch any great white sharks and resulted in the capture of other marine animals, sparking public protests.

2014: Controversy Over Zoo Culling

The culling of a healthy giraffe named Marius in 2014 sparked international controversy regarding zoo culling practices and the ethical considerations of animal management in such institutions.

July 2015: Debate Over Seal Culling in South Australia

As of July 2015, the South Australian government resisted calls from the fishing industry to cull the protected New Zealand fur seal population, which had recovered after near extinction.

2017: KwaZulu-Natal's 30-Year Cull Impact

By early 2017, more than 33,000 sharks, along with thousands of turtles, rays, and dolphins, had been killed during KwaZulu-Natal's 30-year shark culling program.