The presence of the Canarian camel in Maspalomas, the only native camel breed in Europe and an endangered species, not only has cultural and tourist value: it also plays a key role in the conservation of the Canary Islands' wildlife.
A study published in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience by Juan Manuel Gil Sánchez, Carlos Iglesias Pastrana, Elena Velado Alonso, María del Rosario Fresno Baquero, Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo, and María Esperanza Camacho Vallejo analyzes how camel farms influence the richness of animal species around their facilities. The results reveal that within a 1-kilometer radius of camel farms, there is a greater diversity of mammals, birds, arachnids, and mollusks, including officially protected species.
According to the authors, the sustainable management of these farms could strengthen the conservation of local ecosystems. “The camel is not only a cultural and economic resource, but its selective grazing and presence on ecotourism routes contribute to maintaining a balanced landscape and surrounding biodiversity,” they explain. Furthermore, local bioclimatic factors also play a determining role in the spatial patterns of wildlife.
The study highlights that extensive and semi-intensive camel management practices allow these herbivores to interact in a balanced way with local vegetation and fauna, favoring the proliferation of species such as the houbara bustard, among other wildlife. Camel dung has even been observed to function as a food resource for insects during droughts, strengthening the food chain.
Although the researchers acknowledge limitations, such as the lack of comparative control areas, they believe this work provides a solid foundation for future conservation and agroecological management strategies on the islands. It also suggests that camel farms could act as "umbrella species," indirectly protecting multiple local species while preserving a unique cultural legacy.
In the authors' words: "Recognizing camel farms as ecological centers allows for combining agricultural productivity with biodiversity conservation, fostering multifunctional landscapes that balance the economy, culture, and environment."
This study reinforces the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that integrates ecology, agronomy, and land use planning to maximize the environmental benefits of camel farming in the Canary Islands and, potentially, in other arid or semi-arid ecosystems around the world.
