I just found out that Out Of Africa (here in Arizona) has two new camels they are using for rides. They are apparently both a crossbreed of dromedary (one hump) and bactrian (two hump). Has anyone heard of this before?
camel hybrids
- Thread starter Arizona Docent
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Meaghan Edwards
Well-Known Member
I got curious and decided to do a little investigating on this hybrid:
Bactrian Camels and Bactrian-Dromedary Hybrids
Camel Types, Dromedary, Bactrian and Hybrid camels
Bactrian Camels and Bactrian-Dromedary Hybrids
Camel Types, Dromedary, Bactrian and Hybrid camels
I find the whole hybridisation testing and exhibition at zoological institutions a commercialism trap (if zoos do have them ... it has nothing whatsoever to do with serious captive-breeding and has a high gimmick-bring in the punters cloud hanging over it too), And I regard it as ethically immoral at that (why daub with millions of years of evolution and separation of both species, in the interest of what ... and not forgetting all the vet health and medical issues with these hybrids).
West Midland Safari Park in the UK had 3 a few years ago, but now may be down to 1
http://www.zoochat.com/219/camel-37247/
http://www.zoochat.com/219/camel-37247/
Zebraduiker
Well-Known Member
Tulus, the name for the hybrids between bactrianc amel and droemdary, are not unuasally in europe,twenty or thirty years ago, many zoos had them in their collections, because both species were kept together, of course with only one male...
A lot of private holders camels have them, and of coursecircusses, because the hump of them is very large.
I know several crossings between old world and new orld camels, in all cases, the new world cameles were the fathers, I think, a female guanaco wouldn't survive a mating with a bactrian camel stallion..,.
A lot of private holders camels have them, and of coursecircusses, because the hump of them is very large.
I know several crossings between old world and new orld camels, in all cases, the new world cameles were the fathers, I think, a female guanaco wouldn't survive a mating with a bactrian camel stallion..,.
I think a delicate female guanaco would have a coronary if she saw a slobbering bactrian stallion with that kind of glint in his eye!
Hix
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
(...) and not forgetting all the vet health and medical issues with these hybrids).
I'm neither a great fan of deliberate interspecific hybridisation in zoos, but health problems aren't usually a problem (except small females having problems with all-too large offspring). In fact, quite a lot of hybrids are actually healthy animals, a fact attributed to hybrid vigour.
Similiar to mules, tulus have been deliberately bred and used as transport animals in various mountainous areas of (Central) Asia for quite a while-and, unlike mules, also in camel wrestling.
Meghan, thanks for the links - very informative. The photos on the second link were fascinating (I've never seen a white bactrian or a black dromedary).
Zebraduiker
Well-Known Member
There are lot of black, white,dark brown or mixed colours dromedaries in europe. We have a zoo in germany with a very large herd of dromedaries with all colours in it, but its amazing to know, that the mixed colours can't hear anything,they are deaf...
Vulpes
Well-Known Member
There are some interesting new world cameid hybrids, llama x alpaca, alpaca x guanaco, llama x vicuna etc.
"but its amazing to know, that the mixed colours can't hear anything,they are deaf... "
can you clarify this?
Longleat have a couple of white camels. I have never seen a black one!
"but its amazing to know, that the mixed colours can't hear anything,they are deaf... "
can you clarify this?
Longleat have a couple of white camels. I have never seen a black one!
Sun Wukong and I will probably call you out on this one!
Inept/unadaptable genes precluded by millions of years of evolution of the various species and domestics.