Husbandry Guidelines for Arabian Camel Camelus dromedarius Camelidae: Mammalia Compiler: Jodie Moretti Date of Preparation: 29/07/08 Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Richmond Course Name and Number: Captive Animals Certificate III RUV 30204 Lecturers: Graeme Phipps, Jacki Salkeld, Brad Walker DISCLAIMER The following document contains guidelines, for the care of the Arabian (Dromedary) Camel (Camelus dromedarius) in captivity based on scientific research of wild animals and experience of captive husbandry. The author of the following guidelines cannot be, and are not, legally, financially or in any other way, responsible for the application of techniques described within this document. When undertaking any procedures or techniques outlined in this document, it is up to individual workers to assess the unique circumstances of their situation, apply common sense, and subsequently apply any procedures or techniques at their own risk. In all cases, the reader of this document are cautioned not to use this handbook as an exact step-by-step guide, but rather as a starting reference point for further work. 2 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS Risk Rating Male: Dangerous Female: Hazardous The Arabian Camel, although normally well-tempered and manageable as a collection species is rated as dangerous and hazardous for male and female specimens respectively because they have the ability to cause significant injury and possibility of death. The Camel is a tall, heavy mammal weighing in at 400-600kg. Servicing their enclosures can be risky, especially during the rutting (breeding) season when males, if housed with females, may undertake in fights to show dominance or they may become very pushy with keeping personnel. The solution to that problem, as long as specimens are not wanted for breeding, is to castrate them, as this eliminates the aggressive behaviours. However if the camels are wanted for breeding, it is best to keep the sexes separate until the most opportune moment for breeding. To service them safely during this time, it is recommended to have facilities to separate them from keepers whilst in the exhibit (holding pen). Even when not in breeding season, both male and female camels still have the equipment to cause serious harm. Camels have the extraordinary ability to kick in obscure directions, even to the side, which means one must give a camel a wide berth in all directions when walking near them. Another tool the camel has is their ferocious looking teeth. A camel possesses quite large incisors and canine teeth that direct back in towards the mouth. This gives them the ability to scalp the skin of a keepers head or inflict a very nasty bite if given the opportunity. One of the most well known risks of working with camels is their ‘reputation’ for spitting a foul smelling stream of stomach contents when aggravated or annoyed. This can hopefully be avoided though if your camels are housed in a calm environment and respected. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 7 1.1 ASMP CATEGORY ................................................................................................................................. 7 1.2 IUCN CATEGORY .................................................................................................................................. 7 1.3 EA CATEGORY ...................................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 NZ AND PNG CATEGORIES AND LEGISLATION ............................................................................................. 7 1.5 WILD POPULATION MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................................... 8 1.6 SPECIES COORDINATOR .......................................................................................................................... 8 1.7 STUDBOOK HOLDER ............................................................................................................................... 8 2 TAXONOMY .................................................................................................................................. 9 2.1 NOMENCLATURE ................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 SUBSPECIES .......................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 RECENT SYNONYMS ............................................................................................................................... 9 2.4 OTHER COMMON NAMES ....................................................................................................................... 9 3 NATURAL HISTORY ..................................................................................................................... 10 3.1 MORPHOMETRICS ............................................................................................................................... 10 3.1.1 Mass and Basic Body Measurements ................................................................................... 10 3.1.2 Sexual Dimorphism ............................................................................................................... 11 3.1.3 Distinguishing Features ........................................................................................................ 11 3.2 DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT ................................................................................................................. 12 3.3 CONSERVATION STATUS ....................................................................................................................... 12 3.4 LONGEVITY ........................................................................................................................................ 13 3.4.1 In the Wild ............................................................................................................................ 13 3.4.2 In Captivity ............................................................................................................................ 13 3.4.3 Techniques Used to Determine Age in Adults ....................................................................... 13 4 HOUSING REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................... 15 4.1 EXHIBIT/ENCLOSURE DESIGN ................................................................................................................. 15 4.2 HOLDING AREA DESIGN ........................................................................................................................ 18 4.3 SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................................... 18 4.4 POSITION OF ENCLOSURES .................................................................................................................... 19 4.5 WEATHER PROTECTION ........................................................................................................................ 19 4.6 HEATING REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 20 4.7 SUBSTRATE ........................................................................................................................................ 20 4.8 BEDDING MATERIAL ............................................................................................................................ 20 4.9 ENCLOSURE FURNISHINGS ..................................................................................................................... 21 5 GENERAL HUSBANDRY ................................................................................................................ 22 5.1 HYGIENE AND CLEANING ....................................................................................................................... 22 5.2 RECORD KEEPING ................................................................................................................................ 23 5.3 METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION ............................................................................................................... 23 5.4 ROUTINE DATA COLLECTION .................................................................................................................. 24 6 FEEDING REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................... 25 6.1 DIET IN THE WILD ............................................................................................................................... 25 6.2 CAPTIVE DIET ..................................................................................................................................... 25 6.3 SUPPLEMENTS .................................................................................................................................... 27 6.4 PRESENTATION OF FOOD ...................................................................................................................... 27 4 7 HANDLING AND TRANSPORT ...................................................................................................... 29 7.1 TIMING OF CAPTURE AND HANDLING 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