Australian Camels Essay -- Animals Papers

Australian Camels The livestock of man has been distributed throughout the world. Horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats can be found on every continent of the planet, with the exception of Antarctica. These common animals supply man with food, materials, and transportation. For thousands of years men have bred these animals for specific purposes. Horses have been bred for work and racing. Cattle have been selectively bred to supply more meat and live in different conditions. Higher quality wool and meat production is the goal of sheep breeders. Yet all of these selectively bred, finely tuned animals require many hours of tending to. Also, they are limited to living in relatively hospitable environments. The Australian outback is a vicious, unforgiving place. Early explorers discovered this the hard way. Many an ill equipped man perished in the deserts of Australia. The camel was the solution for desert transportation in Australia. Big, ugly and rude, these magnificent beasts thrive in the vast arid regions of the land â€Å"Down Under.† Origins of Camels It is widely believed that camels evolved in North America. The fossil record supports that the family Camelidae and their immediate ancestors evolved almost exclusively in North America. From the upper Eocene time through the Tertiary period into the Pelsitocene epoch, a period about 40 million years ago, they evolved from the size of small rabbits into the modern beasts of over 2 meters tall today. [1] From North America cameloids gradually dispersed throughout South America, developing into alpacas (L. pacos), guanacos (L. guanicoe), llamas (L. peruana), and vicunas (V. vicugna). Today there are two modern types of... ...12] Kimber, R.G. Man from Arltunga. Hesperian Press. Victoria. 1986. p. 44-45 [13] Visconti, M., â€Å"The Afghans and Their Camels in Australia. Antipodes. June 2000. p. 19-20 [14] Alice Springs Government Website-History [15] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tearooms-Ships of the Desert [16] McKnight, T., The Camel in Australia. Melbourne University Press. Carlton, 1969p. 8 [17] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tearooms-Ships of the Desert [18] McKnight, T., The Camel in Australia. Melbourne University Press. Carlton, 1969p. 8-9 [19] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tearooms-Ships of the Desert [20] Camels Australia Export -History [21] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tearooms-Uses [22] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tearooms-Uses [23] Camels Australia Export -Products [24] Camels Australia Export -Products [25] Camels Australia Export –Capture and Handling