Too many camels using water places cause damage by:
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falling into waterholes and dying
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trampling delicate plants near waterholes
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contaminating the water with droppings
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damaging the soil and causing erosion.
In communities camels can damage taps and toilets, and eat the shade trees.
Camels in search of water on pastoral properties sometimes cause damage to troughs, bores and yards.
Cartoon: Blair McFarland
Each adult camel will drink about 30-40 litres a day
when there is plenty of water. Camels can live without
drinking water for about 2 weeks. This is because they
get water from the plants they eat and because they
have a fat hump. A thirsty camel can drink about 100
litres of water in a couple of minutes. During dry times
big mobs of thirsty camels can quickly drink all of the
water in waterholes, small soaks and salt lakes, so there
is a lot less water for native animals.
Many water places are traditional sacred sites. Some
people are worried about the damage camels are doing
to these sites.
Camels damage waterholes
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