It's a trivia question many might get wrong: What part of the world has the biggest population of feral camels? As National Geographic explains, the answer is Australia—its arid Outback in particular. The first camels were brought over by British colonists in the 19th century because they could help explore the region better than horses. Flash forward to today, and as many as 1 million roam a territory of 1.3 million square miles, but this is no ordinary invasive species:
- "Females can give birth every two years and live up to 40 years in the wild, meaning the number of camels can double every nine years. Weighing an average of 1,000 pounds, they roam in herds from fewer than 10 to several hundred, trampling ecosystems and destroying infrastructure."
The animals are "voracious" consumers of scarce food resources—which particularly affects Aboriginal communities—and they destabilize sand dunes. But the biggest problem might involve water, writes Sean Williams. Yes, camels are famous for being able to go a long time without drinking, but "when they do get thirsty, they're insatiable." As in, an adult can drink 50 gallons day, and the camels will tear up cattle stations hunting for water if no natural sources are available. Ranchers are fighting back by shooting as many camels as they can—a federal culling program ended several years ago—which has advocates for the camels pushing back against the ranchers. Solutions are tough to come by. (Read the full story, which explores the markets for camel milk and meat, as well as camel riding.)
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