These animals, primarily dromedary camels, are descendants of those introduced to the continent in the 19th century. Australia now hosts the largest wild camel population globally, due to their successful adaptation to the country’s arid interior.
Camel Introduction to Australia
Camels were first brought to Australia in the 19th century, with the initial arrival recorded in 1840 from the Canary Islands. Between 1840 and 1907, an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 camels were imported, predominantly from British India and Afghanistan. These animals, along with their handlers often referred to as “Afghans,” served as transport animals in Australia’s interior.
Their purpose was to facilitate exploration, assist in the construction of major infrastructure projects like telegraph lines and railways, and transport general freight across arid regions. While both dromedary (one-humped) and Bactrian (two-humped) camels were initially imported, dromedaries proved better suited to the hot, dry Australian desert conditions and became the dominant type. As motorized transport became widespread in the early 20th century, many working camels were released into the wild, establishing a large feral population.
Australia’s Wild Camel Population
Current estimates suggest Australia’s wild camel population stands at approximately 300,000 animals, though numbers can fluctuate, with some sources indicating over a million before major culling operations. This population has spread across arid and semi-arid regions, covering about 3.3 million square kilometers, roughly 37% of the Australian mainland.
Camels thrive in Australia due to the absence of natural predators and their ability to find forage, especially during periods of favorable rainfall. They are highly mobile, capable of traveling up to 70 kilometers per day in search of food and water, allowing them to effectively utilize scattered resources in the harsh environment. Their physiological adaptations, such as the ability to go for extended periods without drinking water and to consume a wide variety of plant species, contribute to their success in the Australian outback.
Impact and Management
The wild camel population in Australia impacts the environment and human infrastructure. Ecologically, these animals contribute to overgrazing, consuming more than 80% of available plant species in their range. This extensive browsing can suppress the regeneration of some native plant species and damage sensitive ecosystems, including fragile salt lake environments and waterholes. Camels also compete with native wildlife for scarce resources, particularly water during drought conditions, and can foul water sources, making them unsuitable for other animals and culturally significant sites.
Beyond ecological concerns, camels damage human infrastructure like fences and water pipes when seeking water. To address these impacts, management strategies are employed. Aerial culling, involving shooting camels from helicopters, is a primary method for reducing large populations in remote areas. For instance, the Australian Feral Camel Management Project between 2009 and 2013 significantly reduced the population by approximately 160,000 camels.
Commercial mustering for meat processing, live export, and even tourism also contributes to population control. Camel meat is processed for domestic consumption and export, including to countries like Saudi Arabia, while a growing camel milk industry has also emerged. Exclusion fencing is another strategy used to protect specific sensitive areas, although it does not reduce the overall population. Managing camels is a challenge due to their wide distribution and high mobility across the Australian landscape.