Australia Has More Camels Than Egypt or the UAE

Surprising as it sounds, Australia is home to the largest population of wild camels in the world — more than Egypt or the UAE. According to various estimates, up to one million wild dromedary camels roam freely across the central and northern parts of the continent.

These camels were first brought to Australia in the 19th century from the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Afghanistan. They were used as pack animals to transport goods across the vast deserts. However, with the development of railways and roads, camels became obsolete and were left to roam. In the absence of natural predators and under minimal control, the camel population began to grow rapidly — doubling approximately every nine years. To put it in perspective, the initial population was just 10,000 individuals.

Today, wild camels pose a serious ecological threat. In some areas, they destroy up to 80% of native vegetation. During droughts, desperate for water, they invade human settlements, damaging buildings, breaking pumps and taps — and even smashing toilets.

@science