When you think of Australia, you will probably think of kangaroos, wallabies and koala bears. One animal you may not think of is the camel. There are thousands of camels in Australia – and they are becoming a bit of a problem.
What are camels doing in Australia?
Camels were brought to Australia by the British in the 1800s to help them explore the desert areas of the country known as ‘the outback.’ When the British had finished their exploring, they set the camels free and they have been running wild ever since.
How many camels are there today?
In 2018, it was estimated that there were about one million wild camels in Australia . This number was expected to double in the next eight to ten years. In 2024, the World Population Review reported that there was one herd of camels in Australia that included 750,000 camels!
Australia is a big place. So what if there are millions of camels in the wild?
In recent years, many areas of Australia have been suffering from water shortages. Wild camels now have to look further and further for water. Last November, 6,000 camels ran into a small town near Alice Springs in search of water. They did terrible damage to property and had to be shot from a helicopter.
What can be done about the wild camels?
Many people living in Saudi Arabia love camels. A campaign has been started to try and ship some of the camels back to Saudi Arabia where they will be able to live in the desert. However, this is not a practical solution and only a few hundred camels will be caught and shipped back.
Is there anything else that could be done?
One aboriginal leader called Tracker Tilmouth has suggested to the government that the camels can be used to provide meat for crocodile farms. Up to 60,000 crocodiles are kept on one farm and they can grow to 5.5 metres in length. The crocodiles are killed for their skins and meat.
Enjoy camel racing in Australia’s outback:
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