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| credit: WCPF |
Only 600 or so wild Bactrian Camels cling to existence in the extremity of the Great Gobi Desert, and the population is declining. Two British conservations decided fifteen years ago to attempt to preserve this keystone species of the cold desert by establishing the Wild Camel Protection Foundation. Progress has been made in since then, thanks to the perseverance of conservationists and funds from concerned organizations. China established a wild camel reserve in the heart of the Lop Nur nuclear testing area and Mongolia established the Great Gobi Protected Area. Both governments signed a mutual cooperation agreement to protect the remaining wild camels in 2001. In 2004 a breeding center was established
[photo] adjacent to the Great Gobi Protected Area with the cooperation of the Mongolian government. Genetic testing by the Veterinary University of Vienna show a consistent variation from domestic camel stock, therefore a wild breeding program is vital to maintaining a separate species officially recognized since 2010 and known as the wild camel. Wild camel habitat is extremely fragile since it exists in extremes of temperature and drought. It is threatened by human exploitation such as mining. By protecting the critically endangered wild camel, many other endangered flora and fauna benefit.
