Camel Curse: Is The Wild Bactrian Camel Doomed? By Kally Gaughan

Summary and Geographic Changes

Figure 1

The wild Bactrian camel is found in fragmented populations in northwest China and southwest Mongolia (figure 1). Temperatures in the home range of this species range from +100 ° F in the summer to -20 °F in the winter. This two-humped camel is highly adapted to the minimal water and vegetation provided by the harsh Gobi Desert.  When they have access to a water source they can drink up to 57 liters at one time, which is almost 30 times more than how much a human drinks in a day! That’s not all that’s impressive about Wild Bactrian Camels; they produce a protein in their milk that may be used to treat diabetes in humans, and they’re the only land mammals that can drink salty or brackish water without getting sick. Wild camels and their relatives differ from all other mammals because they have oval-shaped red blood cells instead of circular red blood cells. They also eat thorns and dry, salty plants, which other herbivores avoid.

Figure 2

Listing Date: June 14^th, 1976

Listing Status: Endangered

Population, Cause of Listing, And Main Threats

Numbers of wild camels are dwindling with the current estimate being under 1,000 left (enough to fit on a football field!) Highly adapted to the extreme deserts of Central Asia, their decline is an indicator of the decline of the entire Great Gobi Ecosystem. There is decline in Camelus ferus (Figure 2) because of hybridization with domestic, genetically dissimilar, camels. They are the targets of hunting because they compete with domestic camels or water and grazing pastures. Also, desertification’s devastating effects on habitat reduce water points, which drive Gray Wolves to increase their predation of Wild Bactrian Camels. This activity is concentrated at the remaining water points in the area.

Recovery Plan

The goal is to enforce protection of the wild Bactrian camel's habitat in Great Gobi A Special Protected Area, Mongolia, and work with local communities to reduce their impact on wild camels and their habitat. We are in the process of learning more about wild camels and protecting them through patrol-based monitoring and satellite technology. Also, we can address disease transmission and hybridization with domestic camels by helping local communities to improve the health and management of domestic camels. Increasing awareness and engagement at the local, national and international level to drive home the wild camel’s status as a flagship for one of the world’s last great wildernesses and ensure support for conservation efforts. 

References

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May 2015.

"Bactrian Camels, Bactrian Camel Pictures, Bactrian Camel Facts - National Geographic."

National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2015.

"Protecting the Last Wild Camels and Their Habitat." Save Our Species. N.p., n.d. Web. 31

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"Species Profile for Bactrian Camel (Camelus Bactrianus)." Species Profile for Bactrian Camel (Camelus Bactrianus). N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2015.