The prospects for the camel in Australia

The aim of this paper is to report on the current situation and future prospects for feral camels in Australia. The paper is divided into three parts. In the first, we address recent research findings concerning the growth of the feral camel population, and recognition of the significant damage the animals are causing to natural, cultural and physical environments. Given that an increasing feral camel population has, and will, lead to increasing impacts, in the second part of the paper we consider how this situation can be addressed. In presenting current options for the management of feral camels and their impacts we take into account varying cultural attitudes to the presence, control and commercial use of the animals. In the third part, we draw on a systems approach to explore possible alternate futures for feral camels in Australia within the context of different management scenarios. In doing so, we consider ethical questions concerning the right balance between control and commercial activity. Firstly, however, we briefly discuss the introduction of the camel to Australia and the release of the animal into the wild once it was no longer required for use as a beast of burden.