Dromedaries in the Duke City

By Guest Writer, 4-04-07

Last weekend as I was biking down the Rio Grande bosque trail, I encountered a herd of camels. I initially wrote them off as oversized horses with tumors on their backs. But as I watched them lope around, I was forced to face the reality that these were not sickly livestock, but rather, a herd of four dromedary camels - taking the meaning of desert to a level I was not entirely comfortable with …

Although camels are not the first animal to come to mind when pondering the local livestock, New Mexico has a surprisingly lengthy history with camels. Before the Civil War broke out, the United States Army experimented with camels as a viable means of transportation in the Southwest. Led by General Edward Beale, the “Camel Corps” undertook its first mission in the summer of 1857 when Secretary of War Jefferson Davis dispatched them to survey a route for a wagon road extending across Arizona to the Colorado River. Eventually, the Santa Fe railroad and Highway 66 would model itself after the wagon route Beale charted.

The “Camel Caravan,” as it came to be known by native New Mexicans, consisted of 25 camels, four soldiers, two camel-drivers and a few horses. The camels proved to be hardy animals, if not a little strange, with the ability to carry 600 pounds and go days without water. Beale sent an overwhelmingly positive report back to Washington on employing camels as a primary workforce animal. But, as the nation focused its attention on the issues of cessation and racial equality that defined the Civil War, the Camel Corps became a low priority and the Camels were eventually auctioned off or set free to roam the Southwest.

But camels did persist in the mythos of the people. Visions of the “red ghost” – a vindictive camel who murdered people by trampling them beneath its third toe – haunted people after a woman was found dead in Arizona, with the only evidence a clump of red fur. One theory postulated that the red ghost was spurred on by an undead rider, much like Sleepy Hollow’s headless horseman.

Today, while camels no longer roam free in the Southwest, they’re still very much alive in New Mexico.  The New Mexico State Department of Livestock does not group camels alongside other livestock and instead places them in a separate ‘zoo’ animal category, along with alpacas and llamas. The livestock board requires a health permit certifying that the camel does not carry tuberculosis or brucellosis. According to one Albuquerque camel owner, this health certificate is the only paperwork needed to privately own a camel. It gets slightly more complicated when using camels as a source of income. In order to own camels as part of a full time job, the USDA must grant a federal permit, and then send an inspector a few times a year to make sure the conditions of the permit are being met.

While owning camels may not seem a lucrative business endeavor, it may prove to be more profitable than is readily apparent. Monopolizing on the recent surge of moviemakers seeking to film in New Mexico, camel owners are often hired in scenes for movies. Similarly, businesses who attempt to leave a lasting impression may call a camel owner for promotions or television commercials.  The need for camels even extends into Christmas, where they can be found in Nativity scenes. With the diverse options offered, camel-owning may prove to be an overlooked and under appreciated profession. And, while Albuquerque has yet to discover camel meat, camel burgers are a staple in many middle eastern countries.

With such a long tradition of camels in the Southwest, its fair to say that the animals will stay in New Mexico for many years to come. And don’t be surprised if you see them undulating among themselves when taking your Sunday morning bike ride.