The Bedford Estates, LondonThe Bactrian camels can now be spotted in their brand new enclosure, as final touches to the construction were completed last month and the herd were able to move in at the end of September.
The keeper team welcomed the camels to their new home with plenty of excitement, and helped them settle straight in with some fun enrichment housewarming gifts and a special ‘Welcome Home’ sign made with some of their favourite treats!
Bactrian camels – with their distinctive two humps – can reach over seven feet tall and weigh around 1800lbs each, so their new home had to be carefully designed by keepers and architects to accommodate the specific needs of this larger-than-life species.
Tom Robson, Head of Reserves, explains: "The house includes an area for feeding, one large bed for sleeping and plenty of space for the expanding herd, including newest calves Wednesday and Walter who were born earlier this year and still have lots of growing to do!
The forward-thinking design also allows for separate living areas to be sectioned off if needed, so if the camels do breed in the future then the cow (female camel) and calf could have their own area if needed."
The new house will also help the keepers with behaviour training and interacting with the camels, with a specially-designed system that gives the team more options for completing important health and welfare checks and administering veterinary care. A series of gates creates a small temporary holding area that the camels walk into, where they can be comfortably contained temporarily so that keepers can get up-close and manage their care safely.
Bactrian camels are incredibly adaptable animals and can withstand large changes in temperature because of their thick winter coats and annual summer shedding, so the house didn’t need to be equipped with any special life support systems. It does however provide them with a great shelter if they want to escape any bad weather, and the large barn doors give visitors the option of being able to see the camels even if they are sheltering from the elements.
See the new enclosure for yourself during on your next visit!
The camels and their new enclosure are located in the Northern Plains reserve just before the Main Entrance to the Park (number 1 on the Road Safari map).