Why camels’ number declining in India
- December 23, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Why camels’ number declining in India
Subject : Environment
In the news:
- The camel population in India has been in decline, especially in Rajasthan because of the Indira Gandhi Canal which hampered the movement of Raikas and Camels.
Camel population:
- The number of camels has come down from 4 lakh during the livestock census of 2012 to 2.52 lakh in the 2019 livestock census, showing a decline of 37 per cent.
- Around 84 per cent of camels in in India are located in Rajasthan and another 11 per cent in Gujarat.
Reasons behind the decline in the camel population:
- Fewer dairy benefits:
- Long gestation period (15 months);
- limited saleable meat yield (less than 5 kg a day),
- high cost of maintenance,
- high cost of milk, and
- strong flavour of camel milk,
- all make it unsuitable for the domesticating camel for economic benefits.
- Change in lifestyle:
- Replacement of the nomadic-pastoral way of life by agriculture.
- Individually owned farmlands that are often fenced restrict the movements of camels.
- Camels are rarely used for ploughing along with that shrinking of grazing grounds,
- shortage of fodder also a reason for reduced camel population.
- Other means of transport:
- Camels are replaced largely by road networks.
- People prefer vehicle for transportation rather than using camel.
- Fewer benefits for Raikas:
- Raikas do not sell dead camels for their bones and also do not eat camel meat.
- Raikas believe they were born of Lord Siva’s skin to protect camels.
Raikas:
- The Raikas are a specialized caste of pastoralists from northwestern India, particularly the arid and semi-arid parts of Rajasthan.
- Although they also raise goats, cattle, sheep, and water buffalo, the most important animal for Raika’s cultural identity is the camel.
- The Raika and their camels talk to each other; this language/conversation is called akal-dhakaal.
Kharai camel:
- It is a unique breed of camels found only in Kachchh, Gujrat.
- They have the special ability to survive on both, dry land and in the sea.
- They swim in seawater and feed on saline plants and mangroves.
- The Kharai was recognised as a separate breed in 2015 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Double humped camel:
- The double-hump camel is a native of Gobi desert, and is found on a vast expanse of cold-desert areas across Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and parts of Afghanistan.
Rearing centre:
- According to the Gujarat government, the camel rearing centre at Dhori, Kutchh, is working in a scientific manner for the purpose of increasing the number of camels through pure breeding.
Rajasthan government’s step to protect camels:
- Rajasthan government has declared camel as State animal in 2014.
- Rajasthan’s government enacted The Rajasthan Camel (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 2015.
- The Act aims to prohibit the slaughter of camels and also to regulate their temporary migration or export from Rajasthan.
- But the Act does not show positive results.
- Camels are now sold in the grey market, further driving down camel prices.
- Camels that should normally command a price of Rs 40,000 plus, reportedly sell in this grey market for less than Rs 5,000.
- The ban has benefitted only the meat traders and corrupt officials.