Australian CamelsMan's livestock have been distributed throughout the world. Horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are found on every continent on the planet, except Antarctica. These common animals provide humans with food, materials and transportation. For thousands of years, humans have bred these animals for specific purposes. Horses were bred for working and racing. Cattle were selectively bred to provide more meat and live in different conditions. Producing superior quality wool and meat is the goal of sheep farmers. Yet all of these selectively bred and finely tuned animals require many hours of care. Furthermore, they are limited to living in relatively hospitable environments. The Australian outback is a cruel and unforgiving place. Early explorers found this out the hard way. Many ill-equipped men died in the deserts of Australia. The camel was the solution for desert transportation in Australia. Big, ugly and rude, these magnificent animals thrive in the vast arid regions of the land "Down Under". Origins of Camels It is widely believed that camels evolved in North America. The fossil record supports that the Camelid family and their immediate ancestors evolved almost exclusively in North America. From the Late Eocene through the Tertiary period to the Pelsitocene epoch, a period about 40 million years ago, they evolved from the size of small rabbits to modern beasts over 2 meters tall today. [1] From North America, cameloids gradually dispersed throughout South America, developing into alpacas (L. pacos), guanacos (L. guanicoe), llamas (L. peruana) and vicunas (V. vicugna). Today there are two modern types of...... middle of paper......12] Kimber, RG Arltunga Man. Hesperian press. Victory. 1986, p. 44-45[13] Visconti, M., “Afghans and their camels in Australia. Antipodes. June 2000, p. 19-20[14] History of the Alice Springs Government Website[15] Calamunda Camel Farm and Desert Tearooms-Ships[16] McKnight, T., The Camel in Australia. University of Melbourne Press. Carlton, 1969p. 8[17] Calamunda Camel Farm and Desert Tea Rooms-Ships[18] McKnight, T., The Camel in Australia. University of Melbourne Press. Carlton, 1969p. 8-9[19] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tea Rooms-Desert Ships[20] Camels Australia Export -History[21] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tea Rooms-Uses[22] Calamunda Camel Farm and Tea Rooms-Uses[ 23] Camels Australia Export -Products[24] Camels Australia Export -Products[25] Camels Australia Export –Capture and handling