Even camels can't cope: Africa's ships of the desert hit by rising temperatures
Rising temperatures in Africa are negatively impacting camels, which are traditionally considered resilient to extreme heat. Herders report increased calf mortality and physical suffering among their livestock due to record-breaking heatwaves.
Why it matters
This illustrates the severe, real-world impact of climate change on traditional livelihoods and food security in vulnerable regions.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Livestock herders in the Horn of Africa and North Africa have switched to camels over the years because of their famed resilience
Camels are famously known as the ships of the desert, but even these hardy animals are not being spared from the extremes of rising temperatures in Africa.
The Afar region of north-eastern Ethiopia is one of the hottest and driest places on Earth, where nomads often lead camel caravans carrying salt through the desert.
"I can see my camels suffering from extreme heat," Ali Umer, a camel herder from Semera in Afar, told the BBC.
"They get blisters on their feet, their eyes become watery and the hot sand burns their skin and eats up their hair when they are sitting," said the 40-year-old who owns around 500 camels.
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