Camels, Africa's climate fallback livestock, now faltering under extreme heat

Kenyan herders swapped cattle for camels as temperatures rose, the World Resources Institute reports. Now BBC findings from Ethiopia's Afar region show camels with foot blisters, skin burns, and heat-killed calves. A 2025 study ties high temperatures to less milk, poorer health, and lower feed intake — jeopardizing a vital pastoralist food source. No obvious replacement species remains.