Park home for Camilla, the baby camel who thinks she's human

A SEVEN-month old baby camel which was rejected by its mother at birth has taken up residence in the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster.Staff at the wildlife park say they need to spend hours each day to convince the camel, named Camilla, to behave like a camel rather than a human being.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Nov 2010, 20:02 BST
Updated 21st Nov 2010, 20:05 BST

The animal was hand-reared at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside and, owing to its more unusual start in life, has picked up what staff describe as "remarkable human-like tendencies".

Director of Yorkshire Wildlife Park Cheryl Williams said: "Camilla is settling down really well and is just grasping the concept that she is a camel, not a person.

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"But every time she spots one of us she runs over to the fence and calls to us to go over and give her a scratch right behind her ear.

"Camels are really intelligent, and the little noises she makes are just like she is trying to havea conversation with you. If you walk along, she trots at your heel just like a pet dog."

Camilla is a Bactrian camel, one of the hardiest yet most endangered species on Earth.

It is thought there are only around 950 wild Bactrian camels left, living in the Gobi desert in China and Mongolia.

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A spokesman for the wildlife park added: "Patiently waiting to aid Camilla's transfer out of her teenager tendencies and into camel country at Yorkshire Wildlife Park is fellow camel Lottie, who is taking her under her hump to teach Camilla the real characteristics of a camel, ditching her astonishing human traits."

The wildlife park is open every day until Thursday, December 23.

Related topics:Yorkshire Wildlife Park