Extreme heat above 50C is killing camels across North Africa and the Horn of Africa, overwhelming their natural defences.
Camels renowned for surviving extreme heat and prolonged drought are dying across parts of North Africa and the Horn of Africa as temperatures exceeding 50C overwhelm their natural defences.
The one-humped dromedary, commonly known as the “ship of the desert”, is an economically important livestock animal across Africa, particularly in countries in the Horn of Africa.
North Africa and the Horn of Africa are home to about 80% of the world’s dromedary population. Rising temperatures linked to climate change are now pushing the animals beyond the conditions their bodies can regulate.
Heat overwhelms natural defences
Camels can normally tolerate temperatures of about 40C by allowing their body temperature to rise and fall with the surrounding conditions. This reduces the need to sweat and helps limit water loss.
They conserve further moisture by producing highly concentrated urine and passing dry faeces. Their thick coats also protect them from solar radiation.
Those adaptations begin to fail as temperatures move far beyond the animals’ usual tolerance range, particularly when extreme heat is accompanied by shortages of water and vegetation.
Ethiopian herder loses eight calves
Ali Umer, a camel herder in Ethiopia, said he lost eight calves in only one month because the heat had become too severe for them to withstand.
“Even the wind that once brought cool air now carries stifling heat,” he said.
Umer described camels developing blisters on their feet after walking across intensely hot sand. Their eyes watered continuously, while the skin on their bellies was burned when they knelt on the ground, causing their hair to fall out.
The injuries show how temperatures above 50C can overcome even the physical and physiological protections that allow camels to survive in desert environments.
Camel losses rise across the region
Reports from Kenya indicate that the number of camels dying from heat has risen by more than 15% over the past two years.
Separate research in Somalia found that nearly 46% of camel-owning households had experienced camel deaths, with the rate reaching about 73% in some areas. The Somali research measured the proportion of households reporting drought-related losses rather than a nationwide mortality rate among all camels.
Dr Mohammed Bengoumi, a camel specialist with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, warned that the danger increased sharply once temperatures exceeded the animals’ normal comfort range.
“The risk of heat stress rises significantly when temperatures in the Sahara exceed 50C. Combined with shortages of vegetation and water, camels cannot recover quickly enough,” he said.
