Found: A camel with no hump

Out in the Great Victoria Desert, we encountered a section of significant fireburn - probably about 18months old. Within this section, we noticed a camel with no hump running with another 2 camels that seemed to be looking after its welfare.

This really got me puzzled, and we discussed it amongst our group and couldn't really come up with any definitive answer. None of us being camel experts.

I put these photos up on the ExplorOz Facebook page and asked for comments there and most people are of the opinion that the camel would be in ill-health.

We certainly observed it to be stumbling about and struggling to get up this sand dune. It actually crashed through a burnt out dead tree and snagged its leg with the other camels watching by. She seemed quite pathetic and it got me wondering.





I decided to make some enquiries when I came back to Perth. After a phone call and emailing my photos to Chris O'Hora, Director at Calamunnda Camels, I was told that the two camels with humps were 2 rutting bulls and the one with no hump was a young female that looks to have just recently calved.

Chris explained that the reason she is receiving so much attention was the rutting season and she will be in oestrous and receptive to a new matting after her recent calving.

He suspected that the bulls may have killed/crushed her new born or she has been chased away by the attention of the bulls. Chris says her condition (no hump) indicates that she has been providing for a pregnancy and it looks like she may have extended udders full of milk for her new born.