Even camels can't cope: Africa's ships of the desert hit by rising temperatures

Image source, Reuters Image caption, Livestock herders in the Horn of Africa and North Africa have switched to camels over the years because of their famed resilience By Navin Singh Khadka Environment correspondent Published 23 July 2026 Camels are famously 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, told the BBC. "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," said the 40-year-old who owns around 500 camels. "Within the past one 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 said, 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, 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. Image source, Corbis via Getty Images Image caption, Camels carry bricks of salt cut from the mineral-laden lakes in the Danakil Depression, where temperatures can top 50C North Africa and the Horn of Africa host around 80% of the world's largest population of dromedary camels - those with one hump. Over the years, farmers and cattle herders in these regions have switched to 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, , external showed 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 said. In neighbouring Somalia, the situation appears to be more serious. Research published in June , external has shown that drought-related camel mortality is a widespread crisis, affecting nearly 46% of camel-owning households. The study included nearly 6,000 pastoral households and showed that the mortality was concentrated in northern regions, with Sool reporting a "staggering mortality rate of nearly 73%". To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Two of Ali Umer's shepherds in Ethiopia's Afar region bathe a one-month-old camel to cool it down Extreme heat is the main cause behind the drought in the region although other factors like inadequate vet