Camels were not native to Australia. Many historians believe that the first camel to land on Australian soil was shipped in from the Canary Islands. With Australia’s largely dry land surface, camels were convenient thanks to their ability to travel for long distances and for as many as 12 days without water.
Camels could travel on the difficult, sandy desert terrain with relative ease and withstand strenuous conditions. What’s more, camels are not picky eaters and would eat almost any plant that they would come across in the desert. The camels could carry massive loads, with large bulls able to bear up to 600kg cargo.
These factors saw camel numbers skyrocket as cheaper camels were sourced from Pakistan and India – a practice that continued into the 20th century. However, ingrown camels descending from the Canary Island camels are considered more resilient and thus fetch a higher price. Today, camel numbers are staggering – the total camel population is estimated to be in the region of 1,000,000 animals.
When cars were eventually introduced as a means of transport, camel use began to decline. As a result, many camels were released into free range lands and ended up establishing herds in the outback. The government and scientists still keep a close eye on the camels in the world and a good number are fitted with tracking devices.
If your application for immigration is successful, take some time to drive across central Australia – you are bound to come across several camel herds. But the largest herds are the preserve of Australia’s largest and driest state – western Australian. But if you do not want to take a trip into the desert there are camel farms closer to the major urban areas that you can visit.
This is also the place to go if you are looking for a more up close encounter with camels. There are camel rides for you to get a feel of how people travelled in the outback during times past. If you plan on immigrating with your family, camel farms are a fun place for the kids too. Sunset rides are popular with couples.
But the presence of a million camels in Australia has not been without controversy. Some conservationists have singled out camels as a threat to the scarce food resources available in the desert. The sheer numbers of camels and the fact that they can eat just about anything has caused a competition for water and food with other animals in the outback. As camels were not native to Australia, this has somewhat upset the ecosystem’s balance.
Native Aborigines have also been in the limelight for citing the destruction of their crops by rummaging camels. But for the Aborigines, it has been more than just the lost crops. A number of sacred shrines have been destroyed or desecrated by camel herds..
Back to the Australian animals overview
References:
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/camels-Australia.html
http://www.camelfarm.com/camels/camels_australia.html
