Even camels succumb as extreme heat grips Africa

Camels, long hailed as "ships of the desert" for their ability to withstand arid conditions, are now buckling under the extreme heat gripping Africa. Climate change is exacerbating temperatures, leading to significant health issues for these resilient animals.

Recent research, particularly from Ethiopia, highlights that heat stress is causing a rise in diseases, reduced reproductive success, and increased mortality among camels. Ali Umer, a camel herder from Ethiopia's Afar region, shared his observations with the BBC, stating his camels "suffer from the extreme heat."

Umer described visible signs of distress, including "blisters on their feet, their eyes run, and the hot sand burns their skin and wears off their fur when they lie down." He reported losing eight young camels to the heat within the past month, despite owning over 500.

North Africa and the Horn of Africa are home to approximately 80 percent of the world's one-humped camels, known as dromedaries. Studies, including one from southern Ethiopia based on interviews with herders, show that rising temperatures and climate instability are harming camel populations.

In Somalia, a June study revealed that drought-related camel mortality has become a widespread crisis, affecting nearly 46 percent of households with camels. The World Meteorological Organization notes that parts of Africa are warming faster than the global average, leading to more extreme weather events like droughts and heatwaves.

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They get blisters on their feet, their eyes run, and the hot sand burns their skin and wears off their fur when they lie down.