A NORTHERN Territory court today granted an injunction to prevent the shooting of thousands of rare and exotic animals at a private zoo once owned by property developer Warren Anderson.

The territory Supreme Court granted the injunction after an application by Local Government Minister John Ah Kit, following claims that Mr Anderson intended to shoot the animals.

The territory Government said earlier this week it had been forced to step in and help feed the animals after the sanctuary’s manager said food supplies had run out.

The animals include giraffes, zebras, white rhinoceros and hippopotamuses.

They are at Tipperary Station, 200km south of Darwin. The property’s new owners had given Mr Anderson two years to remove the animals as part of the sale deal.

Once a high-profile businessman who made his fortune in shopping and office block development, Mr Anderson was a close friend of the former prime minister Paul Keating, who stayed at Tipperary more than once.

Anderson dreamed of becoming the giant of the cattle export trade, using Tipperary, which he bought in 1985, as his base, He spent tens of millions of dollars upgrading it, including creating the private zoo.

At Darwin airport yesterday, Mr Anderson was asked whether he intended to shoot the animals. He replied angrily: “So what, they belong to me.”

But he denied the animals were starving.