White camels do exist. They are extremely rare and hard to find and their white fur is very valuable.
Camels come in different colors, shapes, and sizes.
Some are yellow, some are brown, some are even black, but finding a white-colored one is a tough task.
In this article, we will look into how rare white camels are, how much they are worth, and check if white camel babies exist.
Make sure to read the article until the end.
Table of Contents
Key Points
- White camels are extremely rare and valuable due to their white fur.
- They can be found in various regions worldwide, including the Middle East, Africa, India, Pakistan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and the USA.
- White camels come in different breeds, such as the Bactrian and Dromedary camels, and their populations vary.
- White camels can be quite expensive, with prices ranging from $8,000 to several million dollars, depending on the region.
Do White Bactrian And Dromedary Camels Exist?
Both the white Dromedary and white Bactrian camels exist and their populations are scattered around different countries in the world.
Where Are White Camels Found?
White camels can be found in different places in the world: the Middle East, Africa, India, Pakistan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and there are some even in the USA.
In Pakistan, there are around 1.2 million Dromedary camels.
According to researchers, an area there called Balochistan is rich in white-colored camels. [1]
They are said to be the descendants of a breed of mountainous camels that are locally known as the Kohi breed. In 2006, there were around 50,000 of these animals.
In Nigeria, there is a breed of white and white-grey dromedaries that is associated with high milk production during the rainy season and is considered extremely beautiful there. [2]
It is estimated that Sudan has around 4.8 million camels which is the second-highest population in the world, behind Somalia.
In Sudan, a breed of Dromedary camel called Al-Bishari or Bishari is white-colored.
They are mostly found in Eastern Sudan, have short fine hair and a concave face profile. Their body is small but strong, and a small to medium hump is located in the middle of the back. [3]
Another breed there, Al Anafi, has white color, long legs, slender and light body. Al Anafi is a racing camel, famous for its speed.
In Somalia, there is a breed of camel with white fur called the Hoor Camel. They produce high amounts of milk, about 15-17 lbs (7-8 kg) per day. They are characterized by their small size, short legs, and white fur color.[4]
Another breed there, Eyddimo, also has white fur color. They are very tall, built heavily, and have a big hump and a long neck. They produce around 9 lbs (4 kg) of milk per day.
In Saudi Arabia, a breed called Wadha (white camel) or Al-Maghateer has a medium to a large-sized body and pure white color. They produce around 21 lbs (9.5 kg) of milk per day and are considered a very valuable asset to own.
In India, a breed of camel Mewari has a light brown or dark brown color, but some animals are almost white.
In 2020, a rare albino white camel was photographed at a nature reserve in northwest China.
It is estimated that it is a wild Bactrian camel, aged between three and four years.
The all-white animal was seen drinking from a puddle with several other brown Bactrian camels at the Annanba Wild Camel National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province.
Wild Bactrian camels are considered critically endangered as there are around 1000 in total in existence.
We have a full article about camels being endangered and their numbers.
White Camels In The USA
White camels exist in the USA and there are a few places where you can see and ride these animals.
If you are passing by Wisconsin, Stoneboat Farm Exotics is what you need to visit.
They are a family-run farm that has lots of camels, including rare white Bactrian camels.
There is a white Bactrian camel called DJ (Double Jeopardy) that was born to both white parents and has had many white-colored offsprings.
Before going there for a fun visit, make sure to check with them that they are open and working.
Here’s Stoneboat’s Facebook page.
Another way to see rare Dromedary camels in the USA is to check events a company called America’s Show Camels is participating in.
They are organizing camel tours across America where they feature domestic spotted and snow-white one-humped dromedary camels.
Here’s ASC’s Facebook page.
Further reading: 15 places to ride a camel in the US
How Much Is A White Camel Worth?
In Australia, a purebred white Dromedary camel is worth between $8,000 and $10,000. In the USA, a 6-month old white Dromedary female calf costs around $10,000, while a breeding-age white Bactrian camel in the USA can cost around $26,000.
As a comparison, in Australia, other colored camels are sold for around $1,000.
On the Arabian Peninsula, camels are a lot more valued. Camel prizes there start at around $55,000, but thoroughbreds can be worth a lot more, $5-10 million or even $30-50 million.
There have been enormous camel festivals organized there with prize money going up to 60 million dollars.
Depending on the category it participates in (camel racing, beauty), a camel can win a prize of up to 3 million dollars; no wonder they are so expensive and wanted there.
Hex and RGB Color Values Of White Camel Fur
White-colored camels are very hard to find. This one, for example, has an RGB value of (254,253,233) and HEX #fefde9.
Camels can have different colors; some can even be black.
We have an article on colors camels can have
Are All Baby Camels White?
Some baby camels are born completely white and change color to yellow or brown as they get older.
Remember Double Jeopardy (DJ) from Stoneboat Farm?
Well, one of his calves is a Bactrian female calf that was born completely white back in 2017.
And what is interesting about Vanna is that her mother is completely brown, and her father (DJ) is completely white.
Final Thoughts
This concludes our article on “are white camels rare”.
White camels are very rare and very expensive. They can cost from $8-10,000, up to 30 million. There are several breeds of camels with white fur in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, even the USA.
We hope you found the article interesting and learned more about camels.
References
[1] Raziq, A., and M. Younas. “White Camels of Balochistan.” SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-LAHORE- 18.1 (2006): 47.
[2] Abdussamad, A. M., et al. “Validating local knowledge on camels: color phenotypes and genetic variation of dromedaries in the Nigeria-Niger corridor.” Livestock Science 181 (2015): 131-136.
[3] Ishag, I. A., M. O. Eisa, and M. K. A. Ahmed. “Phenotypic characteristics of Sudanese camels (Camelus dromedarius).” Livestock Research for Rural Development 23.24 (2011): 4.
[4] Wardeh, M. F. “Classification of the dromedary camels.” J. Camel Sci 1 (2004): 1-7.