The Dromedary camel, imported to Australia over a century ago, is considered a feral animal and presents a large-scale environmental and economic problem. Australia hosts the world’s largest feral camel population, which has thrived in the arid conditions of the outback after being released from domestic use. Estimates range from several hundred thousand to over one million animals, a population that can double in size every eight to ten years. Their sheer numbers and destructive habits lead to significant degradation of fragile ecosystems, particularly in the remote and central parts of the continent.
Arrival and Establishment in Australia
Significant importation of dromedary camels began in the 1860s, primarily from British India and Afghanistan, to support inland exploration and infrastructure development. These robust animals, along with their handlers, or “cameleers,” were invaluable for transport in the arid interior where horses and oxen struggled. Between 1870 and 1907, an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 camels were brought in, serving as the backbone for ventures like the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.
The era of the working camel ended with the widespread adoption of motorized transport in the early 20th century. Many cameleers simply released their herds into the wild rather than managing the logistics of rehoming the animals. Camels were perfectly adapted to the harsh desert environment, faced no natural predators, and found ample food sources. This allowed their population to grow rapidly and spread across approximately 37% of the Australian mainland.
Ecological Damage and Resource Depletion
Feral camels are classified as an ecological threat due to the immense damage they inflict on the fragile arid and semi-arid landscapes of Central Australia. Their large body size and ability to form mobs of up to several hundred individuals lead to broad landscape damage through trampling and fouling. This impact is severe in areas where the density exceeds two camels per square kilometer.
Water sources are severely affected, particularly during drought conditions when camels congregate at remaining waterholes, bores, and tanks. A single camel can drink up to 200 liters of water at a time. Their presence fouls the remaining water with waste, making it unusable for native fauna and domestic livestock. Trampling around these water points destabilizes the soil, contributing to erosion and destroying surrounding vegetation.
Feral camels are generalist herbivores, consuming over 80% of available plant species, which pressures native flora. They engage in selective browsing, targeting sensitive species like the curly pod wattle and the bean tree, suppressing plant regeneration. Camel browsing can stunt the growth of woody species, threatening ecosystem health and impacting traditional food plants harvested by Aboriginal communities.
The large herds compete directly with native animals and commercial livestock for limited forage and water, especially during scarcity. Their movement also destabilizes sand dunes, contributing to localized erosion. Camels frequently cause extensive damage to human infrastructure, including ripping up water pipes, destroying fences, and damaging equipment at cattle watering points, creating significant economic costs for pastoralists.
Current Management and Control Strategies
Managing the vast feral camel population requires a coordinated effort and relies on a combination of control methods. The most effective strategy for rapid, large-scale population reduction is aerial culling, which involves shooting animals from helicopters. This method is considered the most humane and practical option in the rugged, inaccessible terrain where most animals reside.
Aerial surveys monitor population size, movement, and density, guiding culling operations. For instance, over 130,000 camels were removed through aerial culling during a major control project between 2009 and 2013. Operations are often timed during dry seasons when animals congregate near water, making the process more cost-effective and efficient.
Commercial harvesting is a secondary control method, involving mustering and ground-based culling for the meat trade, primarily for export. While commercial use provides an economic incentive, it accounts for only a small percentage of the overall reduction needed. The majority of control must be achieved through culling to maintain low densities, ideally below 0.25 camels per square kilometer in sensitive areas.
Exclusion fencing is also used to protect localized, high-value assets like water sources and culturally significant sites from camel damage. Sustaining these control efforts is challenging due to the camel population’s high growth rate, requiring continuous, funded management to prevent a resurgence of their numbers.