Even camels can't cope: Africa's ships of the desert hit by rising temperatures
15 hours ago
- Extreme heat in Africa's Afar region causes camels to suffer blisters, watery eyes, and skin burns, with herders reporting losses of calves.
- Scientific studies and veterinarians confirm that high temperatures lead to heat stress, dehydration, disease prevalence, and reduced milk yield in camels.
- Drought-related camel mortality affects nearly 46% of households in Somalia, with some areas experiencing mortality rates over 73%.
- Camels can tolerate heat up to 40°C by fluctuating body temperature, but frequent summer temperatures above 50°C in the Sahara cause severe heat stress.
- Prolonged heat above 41-45°C damages camels' cells and immune systems, leading to lethargy, reduced food intake, and reproductive disorders.
- Herders in Ethiopia are permanently moving camels from the north to the south due to extreme heat and drought, abandoning traditional herding areas.
- Water scarcity and loss of vegetation worsen the impacts, with water prices in some parts of Somalia rising by over 2,000%.