Camel Handling and Training

Abstract

Camel training has been performed only in some countries and mainly using ancestral methods. There is a huge gap between traditional belief and science in relation to animal training. There is a belief that camels are very aggressive animals, difficult to handle, and needs to be trained using aversive methods. However, camels are used for riding and carriage and like all other animals, can learn and can be trained with appropriate methods, namely using learning theory. A good trainer should have a good knowledge of camel behaviour, be able to read their behaviour and communicate clearly with the camel, adapting himself to different kinds of situations according to each animal’s character. Camels have great learning potential, adapting their behaviours quickly according to the environment. In order to train them, spending a large amount of time studying their behaviour, and observing how they interact together and towards humans, the trainer will be able to pull off the best part of each camel and develop a particular bond with each of them. This chapter presents scientific knowledge in animal learning and psychology. Specifically, it focuses on associative and non-associative learning and gives some practical guidance on how to train camels from the ground based on the experience of the main author.