Camels serve as pack animals and race animals across the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, with welfare conditions that vary enormously between contexts.
Camel welfare varies dramatically by region and context. Traditional pastoralist camels in Africa often have good welfare — freedom to roam, appropriate feeding, and protection from predators. Working camels in urban contexts face overloading, ill-fitting pack saddles causing sores, and inadequate water in hot environments. Racing camels may be overtrained and subjected to dietary restriction to reduce weight. The replacement of child jockeys with robot jockeys in UAE racing represents a genuine welfare improvement — both for children and for camels who were previously ridden by lightweight, frightened children. Harness fitting, workload limits, and water provision are the key welfare improvement priorities for working camels.