Camels in South-West Africa (Namibia)
Part 2
During 1905/6 the Deutsche Schutztruppe for South-West Africa had imported over one thousand dromedaries from Arabia. Lorenz Hagenbeck, the then 26 year old son of Carl Hagenbeck, owner of the Tierpark Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg Altona handled the purchase and shipping.
More than 1000 camels were brought ashore at Swakopmund and also Lüderitz and taken into the interior. A camel stud farm got established at Aroab in the Kalahari.
After the German defeat during 1915 the remaining camels were used by the South African Police for patrols along the Kalahari - Botswana border. Camels were also used for arduous patrols in the various Sperrgebiet diamond areas west of Sossusvlei and between Oranjemund and Lüderitz until the mid-1950's.
Even until 1955 the Swakopmund policemen did patrols by camel. An elderly Swakopmund lady tells the story that when she moved to Swakopmund in 1953 the police camels were stabled at an open fenced erf across the road from the "Altes Amtsgericht" building.
Only in 1955 were the last camels replaced by heavy American pick-up trucks with thirsty V8 or straight-six engines.
The Postal Services in Ovamboland used a few camels to carry post and parcels between Oshivelo and Ombalantu. It is said that after so many trips, the camels would be sent off on their own, and would reliably reach each and every post office along the way. There were never any problems with lions either.
After 1955 the last remaining camels were rounded up and trucked to the Kalahari Gemsbok Park where they were supposed to go feral and 'become part of the greater Kalahari eco-system'.
For decades, the Kalahari Park was managed by the le Riche family. Sometime in the mid-1970's one of the le Riche game wardens made a remark to one of the San Bushman trackers about all antelope and larger mammals scattering in a frenzy whenever a group of camels approached the waterholes in the park.
Vet Piet, the tracker replied "Well, obvious! Had none of you ever noticed; the smell of the camel is very much that of the lion!?"
Whereupon around 1976 it was decided to remove the animals from the Kalahari Park.
Since the early 80's a few descendants have found their way back to Swakopmund where they are used to take holidaymakers for a ride.
On occasion these camels nowadays feature alongside world-famous actors in Hollywood or Walt Disney or even European movie productions.
Aerial photo/video service/inquiries: info@traveltonamibia.com
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