Cristina Hodgson
TWO endangered camels, of the double-humped Bactrian species, have been born at Oasis Wildlife Fuerteventura in Las Palmas.
The largest theme park in the Canary Islands has seen the birth of two Bactrian camel calves, a species classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, numbering less than 1,000 in the wild.
The first calf, born naturally, was a male weighing 47 kilos and has been named Francisco, in honour of a collaborator of the centre. The second birth, a female calf, took place on Wednesday March 31.
The arrival of these two newborn calves takes the number of Bactrian camels in Oasis Wildlife Fuerteventura up to five, all of which belong to the same family composed of an adult male, Chewaka, the father, and two nine-year-old females, Bactria and Ana, the respective mothers.
The arrival of these offspring marks another milestone in the breeding programmes of Oasis Wildlife and its Dromemilk camel farm, which is already the centre of excellence in Europe for dromedary, Arabian camel breeding.
The newborn calves are sure to be a favourite with visitors who will be able to meet them in ‘a few days.’ as indicated by the rescue centre’s conservation manager, Soraya Cabrera.
Bactrian camels give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of about thirteen months. They are large animals, a male can grow up to two metres long, with two striking humps and a thick, knotted coat.
The species is native to the deserts of the United States, from where they migrated to Asia four million years ago, adapting perfectly to arid regions.
Oasis Wildlife has been involved in the protection and conservation of camel populations in Fuerteventura for more than 35 years.
Currently, its Dromemilk farm is home to 400 camels of different breeds.
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