Damon Mcknight
Australian feral camels are descended from domesticated camels abandoned by their owners in the 1920s and 1930s when modern transport developed. They are found in most of Australia's desert habitats and semi-desert lands, with most occurring in Western Australia. They are highly mobile and may forage over 70km per day, feeding on more than 80% of the available plants. Their preferred diet is succulent herbage, high in water and often salt content. They also eat grasses, making up between 20-40% of their diet, and the fruit, leaves and stems of many shrubs, although they are selective feeders with a preference for shrubs and trees rather than grasses.
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What You'll Learn
Camels eat shrubs, trees and grasses
Camels are highly mobile and may forage over 70 km per day. They are selective feeders with a preference for shrubs and trees rather than grasses. Camels eat the fruit, leaves, and stems of many shrubs and will badly damage some native trees such as the Quandong or Native Peach (Santalum acuminatum). Their long legs and necks enable them to browse trees much further from the ground than any other terrestrial herbivore in Australia. Camels have a noticeable impact on salt lake ecosystems and have been found to foul waterholes.
The National Feral Camel Action Plan cited the following environmental impacts:
- Broad landscape damage, including damage to vegetation through foraging behavior and trampling.
- Suppression of recruitment of some plant species.
- Selective browsing on rare and threatened flora.
- Competition with native animals for food and shelter.
Feral camels are declared pests of agriculture in Western Australia under the provisions of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007. They are known to cause serious degradation of local environmental and cultural sites, particularly during dry conditions. They directly compete with endemic animals, such as kangaroos and other marsupials, by eating much of the available plant matter. Camels may further thrive as they are able to digest many unpalatable (to other mammals) species of plants.
The primary forms of feral camel management are trapping at water points, mustering, and shooting. There is a rapidly expanding industry based on camels, primarily for game meat, although some are also taken for live export and for use in the tourist industry.
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They damage fragile ecosystems and waterholes
Australian feral camels are known to cause serious degradation to local environmental and cultural sites, particularly during dry conditions. They destabilise dune crests, which can contribute to soil erosion, and foul waterholes, which are important sites for Aboriginal people and native plants. This contamination of water sources creates an environment that fosters pathogens, making the water unsafe for drinking by other animals.
Feral camels also have a noticeable impact on fragile salt lake ecosystems. The National Feral Camel Action Plan cited the following environmental impacts: "broad landscape damage including damage to vegetation through foraging behaviour and trampling, suppression of recruitment of some plant species, selective browsing on rare and threatened flora, damage to wetlands through fouling, trampling and sedimentation, competition with native animals for food and shelter, and loss of sequestered carbon in vegetation".
The impact of feral camels on waterholes is particularly significant as they are highly mobile and may forage over large areas, with groups of up to 500 individuals recorded in Australia. They can go for long periods without water, but during the summer heat, they will drink every day if water is available, and even a small herd can consume much of the available water. This competition for water can have serious consequences for native animals and the local ecosystem.
Feral camels also directly compete with endemic animals such as kangaroos and other marsupials for food, as they eat much of the available plant matter and can digest many plant species that are unpalatable to other mammals. They are selective feeders with a preference for shrubs and trees rather than grasses, and their long necks enable them to browse trees much further from the ground than any other terrestrial herbivore in Australia. This feeding behaviour can lead to the overgrazing of certain plant species and damage to culturally significant sites, including religious sites, burial sites, and ceremonial grounds.
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They compete with native animals for food
Australian feral camels are known to compete with native animals for food and shelter. They feed on more than 80% of the available plants in Central Australia, and their presence has been observed to cause serious damage to native vegetation. Camels are selective feeders, with a preference for shrubs and trees rather than grasses. They feed on the fruit, leaves, and stems of many shrubs and will badly damage some native trees such as the Quandong or Native Peach.
Feral camels have also been found to destabilize dune crests, which can contribute to soil erosion. They foul waterholes, making the water unsafe for drinking by other animals and creating an environment that fosters pathogens. Camels can survive without water, using fat reserves stored in their hump, but when a source of hydration is available, even a small herd can consume most of the available water.
The impact of feral camels on the environment is particularly notable during dry conditions, as they eat much of the available plant matter and can survive on plant species that are unpalatable to other mammals. This puts them in direct competition with endemic animals such as kangaroos and other marsupials. Camels are also known to cause serious degradation of local environmental and cultural sites during droughts.
The increase in the feral camel population has led to concerns about their impact on the native habitat and native wildlife in the Australian Outback. Their ability to survive in arid conditions and feed on a variety of plants has made them successful invaders, competing with native animals for limited resources. Management and culling programs have been implemented to control their numbers and reduce their impact on key waterholes and other environmentally sensitive areas.
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They are classified as pests
Australian feral camels are classified as pests, and their population is growing. They are descendants of domesticated camels that were released into the wild by early European settlers. By 2008, the population of feral camels in Central Australia was estimated to be around one million, and it was projected to double every 8 to 10 years. As of 2025, this number is now over one million. They are found across Central Australia and in the Victoria River District regions, with most occurring in Western Australia.
Feral camels are highly mobile and can forage over 70 km per day. They form bachelor groups, which young males join after their second year, or family groups containing up to 30 adult females along with their one and two-year-old offspring. Feral aggregations of up to 500 individuals have been recorded in Australia.
The presence of feral camels has led to broad landscape damage, including damage to vegetation through foraging behaviour and trampling. They also contribute to the suppression of some plant species, selective browsing on rare and threatened flora, and damage to wetlands through fouling, trampling, and sedimentation. Camels directly compete with native animals, such as kangaroos and other marsupials, for food and shelter. They are known to eat the fruit, leaves, and stems of many shrubs and will badly damage some native trees such as the Quandong or Native Peach. Their long legs and necks enable them to browse trees much further from the ground than any other terrestrial herbivore in Australia.
In addition to environmental impacts, feral camels also cause social impacts. They damage culturally significant sites, including religious sites, burial sites, and ceremonial grounds. They interfere with native animals and create dangerous driving conditions, safety concerns on airstrips, and general nuisance in residential areas. Their impact on waterholes and water places is also significant, as they foul these areas, making the water unsafe for drinking by other animals and creating a pathogen-fostering environment.
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They are culled to control their population
Australian feral camels are the descendants of domesticated camels that were released into the wild by early European settlers. By 2008, the feral camel population in Central Australia was estimated to be around one million, and it was projected to double every 8 to 10 years. As impressive survivors, their numbers have grown so rapidly that they are now considered a serious threat to the native habitat.
Feral camels have a noticeable impact on the environment, causing landscape damage, destabilising dune crests, and contributing to soil erosion. They compete with native animals for food and shelter, and foul waterholes, making the water unsafe for drinking by other animals. Camels directly compete with endemic animals such as kangaroos and other marsupials, eating much of the available plant matter and thriving as they can digest unpalatable plants. They also damage important food plants used by Aboriginal people and culturally significant sites.
To control the growing population, extensive culling was undertaken between 2008 and 2013. Culling is carried out through trapping at water points, mustering, and aerial and ground shooting. While some consider culling inhumane, it is deemed necessary to protect the native wildlife and environment from the negative impacts of the rapidly increasing feral camel population.
In addition to culling, there is a growing industry based on camels, primarily for game meat, live export, and tourism. Camels are also used in the production of pet food, and fences have been erected to exclude them from key waterholes and protect environmentally sensitive areas.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian feral camels are selective feeders with a preference for shrubs and trees rather than grasses. They eat succulent herbage, high in water and often salt content. They also eat the fruit, leaves and stems of many shrubs and will damage some native trees such as the Quandong or Native Peach.
Australian feral camels are considered a problem because of the damage they cause to the local environment and other social areas. They destabilise dune crests, foul waterholes, suppress some plant species and compete with native animals for food and shelter.
Australian feral camels are classified as pests and there have been attempts to cull the population through trapping, muster and shooting. There is also an industry based on camels, primarily for game meat, live export and the tourist industry.
