Australian feral camels are feral populations of Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia. They were imported from British India and Afghanistan during the 19th century for transport and construction during the colonization of the central and western parts of Australia; many were released into the wild after motorized transport replaced the use of camels in the early 20th century, and this resulted in a fast-growing feral population.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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FeralA feral animal is one that has escaped from a domestic or captive status and is living more or less as a wild animal or one that is descended from ...
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starts withAustralian feral camels look similar to other Dromedary camels. They are very tall and they have long, curved necks, narrow chests and single hump, thick, double-layered eyelashes, and bushy eyebrows. They have sharp vision and a good sense of smell. The males have a soft palate nearly 18 cm (7.1 in) long, which they inflate to produce a deep pink sac. The palate, which is often mistaken for the tongue, dangles from one side of the mouth and is used to attract females during the mating season. The coat of Dromedary camels is generally brown but can range from black to nearly white. The hair is long and concentrated on the throat, shoulders, and hump. The large eyes are protected by prominent supraorbital ridges; the ears are small and rounded. The hump is at least 20 cm (7.9 in) high. They have long, powerful legs with two toes on each foot. The feet resemble flat, leathery pads. Like the giraffe, Dromedary camels move both legs on one side of the body at the same time.
Australian feral camels are found in most of Australia’s desert habitats and in semi-desert lands. Most occur in Western Australia, with smaller populations in the Northern Territory, Western Queensland, and northern South Australia. These camels live in areas with a long dry season and are sensitive to cold and humidity; however, some breeds can thrive in humid conditions.
Dromedary camels are active mainly during daylight; free-ranging herds feed and roam throughout the day, though they rest during the hottest hours around noon. The night is primarily spent resting. Dromedaries form cohesive groups of about 20 individuals, which consist of several females led by a dominant male. Females may also lead in turns. Some males either form bachelor groups or roam alone. The males of the herd prevent female members from interacting with bachelor males by standing or walking between them and sometimes driving the bachelor males away. In Australia, short-term home ranges of feral dromedaries cover 50 to 150 km2 (19 to 58 sq mi); annual home ranges can spread over several thousand square kilometers. Dromedary camels are generally non-aggressive, with the exception of rutting males. They appear to remember their homes, while females, in particular, remember the places they first gave birth or suckled their offspring. Males become aggressive in the mating season and sometimes wrestle. Other behavioral features of Dromedary camels include snapping at others without biting them and showing displeasure by stamping their feet.
Australian feral camels are herbivores (folivores, graminivores). They especially prefer to eat succulent plants that also often contain salt. They also eat grasses, leaves, stems of low shrubs, and fruit. They frequently feed on the vegetation and fruits of some native trees such as the Quandong or Native Peach (Santalum acuminatum).
Dromedary camels are polygynous meaning that males mate with more than one female during the breeding season. Little information is known about the reproductive habits of Australian feral camels but as a whole, Dromedary camels breed once a year with the peak in the rainy season. To attract females males extrude their soft palate (a trait unique to the dromedary). As the male gurgles, copious quantities of saliva turns to foam and covers the mouth. Males threaten each other for dominance over the female by trying to stand taller than the other, making low noises, and a series of head movements including lowering, lifting, and bending their necks backward. Males try to defeat other males by biting the opponent's legs and taking the head between his jaws. After the gestation period of 15 months, the female gives birth to a single calf. Calves move freely by the end of their first day. Nursing and maternal care continue for 1-2 years. The lactation period can vary between 9-18 months. Camels have a slow growth rate and the age of reproductive maturity varies geographically and depends on the individual, as does the reproductive period. Both sexes might mature by 3 to 5 years of age, though successful breeding could take longer.
Because Australian feral camels make a negative impact on the local environment and other social areas, there are now discussions within the country about whether the planned mass culling is a humane way to control the numbers of these animals.
Australia has the largest population of feral camels and the only herd of Dromedary (one-humped) camels exhibiting wild behavior in the world. In 2013, the total population size was around 300,000 camels, with an annual growth of 10% per year.
Due to their large numbers Australian feral camels cause serious degradation of local environmental and cultural sites in Australia. Camels ingest more than 80% of the local plant species available and thus damage vegetation through foraging behavior and trampling, selectively browsing on rare and threatened flora, damaging wetlands through fouling, and competing with native animals for food and shelter. Camels can also do significant damage to infrastructure such as taps, pumps, and toilets, as a means to obtain water, particularly in times of severe drought. They can smell water at a distance of up to 5 kilometers, and are even attracted by moisture condensed by air conditioners. They also damage stock fences and cattle watering points. These effects are felt particularly in Aboriginal and other remote communities where the costs of repairs are prohibitive. Feral camels also damage culturally significant sites including religious sites, burial sites, ceremonial grounds, water holes, rockholes, soaks, springs, places (including trees) where spirits of dead people are said to dwell, and resource points (food, ochre, flints), destruction of bush tucker resources, reduction of people’s enjoyment of natural areas, interference with native animals or hunting of native animals, creation of dangerous driving conditions, cause of general nuisance in residential areas, cause of safety concerns to do with feral camels on airstrips, damage to outstations, and damage to community infrastructure.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...