Register      Login
The Rangeland Journal The Rangeland Journal Society
Journal of the Australian Rangeland Society
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > RJ > RJ09058
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 32(1)

Distribution and abundance of the feral camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Australia

W. K. Saalfeld A C and G. P. Edwards B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts, and Sport, PO Box 496, Palmerston, NT 0831, Australia.

B Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts, and Sport, PO Box 1120, Alice Springs, NT 0871, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: keith.saalfeld@nt.gov.au

The Rangeland Journal 32(1) 1-9 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ09058
Submitted: 21 August 2009  Accepted: 23 December 2009   Published: 23 March 2010

Abstract

In this paper we utilised a range of data sources to estimate the extent, density distribution and population size of the feral camel in Australia in 2008. Camels currently occupy 3.3 million km2 and are spread across much of arid Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and far western Queensland. Up to 50% of Australia’s rangelands are reported as having camels present. The research reported here supports a current minimum population estimate for the feral camel in Australia of ~1 million animals at an overall density of 0.29 camels/km2. Densities vary, and the modelling of available data indicates that two substantial areas of high density are present, one centred on the Simpson Desert and the other on the Great Sandy Desert. The high density area covering the eastern part of the Great Sandy Desert has predicted densities in the range of 0.5 to >2 animals/km2 whereas that on the Simpson Desert is in the range 0.5–1.0 animals/km2.


Acknowledgements

The work reported in this publication was supported by funding from the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust through the Desert Knowledge CRC; the views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government or the Desert Knowledge CRC or its participants. We would like to thank Professor Murray McGregor, Benxaing Zeng and Phil Gee for their valuable input in discussions about the size, extent and density of feral camel populations in Australia. Bruce Ward and Mark Lethbridge provided raw aerial survey data which underpinned the kriging analyses and we thank them sincerely. Peter Whitehead provided frank criticism of the material presented in this paper. It has been improved considerably through his input.


References


Axford G. , Holden C. , and Farroway L. (2002). Aerial survey of camels and other large feral animals in the Simpson Desert region of South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia, Unpublished Internal Report.

Choquenot D. , McIlroy J. , and Korn T. (1996). ‘Managing vertebrate pests: feral pigs.’ (Bureau of Resource Sciences: Canberra.)

Dörges B. , and Heucke J. (1995). Ecology, social organisation and behaviour of the feral dromedary Camelus dromedarius (L. 1758) in Central Australia. Unpublished Report (translated from two PhD Theses, submitted 1995), University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.

Dörges B. , and Heucke J. (2003). Demonstration of ecologically sustainable management of camels on aboriginal and pastoral land. Final Report on Project No. 200046, Natural Heritage Trust. Available at: www.camelsaust.com.au/NHTreport2003.doc (accessed September 2008).

Drucker A. G., Edwards G. P., Saalfeld W. K. (2010) Economics of camel control in central Australia. The Rangeland Journal 32, 117–127. (accessed May 2009).

Short J., Caughley G., Grice D., Brown B. (1988) The distribution and relative abundance of camels in Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 15, 91–97. open url image1

Ward B. , and Burrows N. (2007). Evaluating the effectiveness of an operation to cull feral camels in the Western Little Sandy Desert. Unpublished Report, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia. Available at: www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/3224/1968/

Ward B. G. , Ward C. G. , and Liddelow G. L. (2005). Camel Populations in Central Western Australia Determined from Aerial Surveys. Draft Report, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia.

Ward B. G. , Ward C. G. , Withnell N. , Bishop C. , Kay W. , Everett M. , Paterson W. , and Piirto G. (2006). Aerial survey conducted from Telfer Mine site of the Rudall River National Park and its surrounds to assess feral camel densities. Draft Report, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia. Available at: www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/3224/1968/

Wurst D. , and Saalfeld W. K. (1994). Aerial survey of feral camels and other large vertebrate species in the Alice Springs region of the Northern Territory. Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory Report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.

Zeng B. , and Edwards G. P. (2008). Key stakeholder perceptions of feral camels: pastoralist survey. In: ‘Managing the impacts of feral camels in Australia: a new way of doing business’. DKCRC Report 47. (Eds G. P. Edwards, B. Zeng, W. K. Saalfeld, P. Vaarzon-Morel and M. McGregor.) pp. 35–61. (Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre: Alice Springs.) Available at: www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au/publications/

Zeng B., Edwards G. P. (2010) Perceptions of pastoralists and conservation reserve managers on managing feral camels and their impacts. The Rangeland Journal 32, 63–72. open url image1