Camels are highly adapted desert animals whose welfare in captivity depends on meeting needs shaped by harsh, variable environments. Understanding their adaptations guides better zoo management.
Camel welfare in zoos and working contexts requires providing appropriate social groupings, species-specific diet and substrate, and protection from conditions incompatible with their desert-adapted physiology. Soft, deep-substrate enclosures prevent the foot pad problems that develop on hard concrete. Social housing in appropriate herd structures prevents isolation stress. Diet should accommodate their specialized digestive requirements. Working camels used in tourism may be subject to overloading, excessive work in heat, and inadequate rest, requiring specific welfare protections. Wild Bactrian camel conservation depends on protected areas in Mongolia and China.