Camels - both dromedary and Bactrian - are commonly found in zoos worldwide, but their specialized desert adaptations, social needs, and behavioral complexity create unique welfare challenges in captive settings.
Zoo camels face welfare challenges rooted in their desert specialization. Wet climates cause chronic hoof problems - camels evolved for dry, sandy ground and soft hooves deteriorate on wet, hard surfaces. Dietary mismanagement is common: camels fed rich hay and pellets develop obesity and metabolic disorders. The social deprivation of small group sizes or single-animal housing deprives camels of the complex social bonds they form in the wild. Camel rides offered at many zoos create additional welfare problems - the repetitive loading, uneven rider distribution, and compulsory people-contact on a day off schedule ignores camel behavioral needs and stress responses.