Camels are known as the ships of the desert, but even these hardy animals are not being spared from the extremes of rising temperatures in Africa.
The Afar region of north-eastern Ethiopia is one of the hottest and driest places on earth, where nomads often lead camel caravans carrying salt through the desert.
“I can see my camels suffering from extreme heat,” Ali Umer, a camel herder from Semera in Afar, says.
“They get blisters on their feet, their eyes become watery and the hot sand burns their skin and eats up their hair when they are sitting,” says the herder (40), who owns around 500 camels.
“Within the past month I have lost eight camel calves because of the extreme heat, it has become much more intense and difficult.
“Even the wind, which used to bring cool air, now carries heat,” he says, adding he had noticed these drastic changes in the temperature in recent years.
He is not alone in his observations: scientists, animal welfare workers and various studies all mention stress, fatigue, dehydration and disease prevalence as direct impacts of extreme heat.
The higher temperatures also indirectly make camels suffer by causing severe loss of water, vegetation and reduced shaded areas.
North Africa and the Horn of Africa host around 80% of the world’s largest population of dromedary camels – those with one hump.
Farmers and cattle herders in these regions use these animals because of their resilience to harsh heat and drought conditions. But a study based on the perception of camel herders in southern Ethiopia, published in 2025, shows that high temperatures and climate variability had had a detrimental impact on camel herd health.
“Respondents reported that climate change and variability have affected camels’ health, productivity and reproductive performance,” it says.
In neighbouring Somalia, the situation appears to be more serious. Research published in June shows drought-related camel mortality is a widespread crisis, affecting nearly 46% of camel-owning households.
The study included nearly 6 000 pastoral households and shows that the mortality was concentrated in northern regions, with a reported “staggering mortality rate of nearly 73%”.
Extreme heat is the main cause behind the drought in the region although other factors like inadequate veterinary services and animal management make things worse, experts say.
An analysis by atmospheric scientists found that high temperatures in the region were behind the 2021-22 drought, as extreme heat makes water from soil and water bodies turn into vapour and plants release water in them into air as vapour.
Veterinarians say they are treating more sick camels and are seeing more deaths due to extreme heat and drought.
Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlxvvw06pqo
