For a documentary production class I'm taking this semester, I’ve chosen Topsy, a Bactrian camel who has lived quite an extraordinary life, as the subject of my short. I hope that by exploring Topsy’s life, I can paint a portrait of her as a distinct individual–a privilege rarely awarded to animals–while using her story to highlight the conditions animal laborers have had to endure throughout time.

I'm looking to interview people who have worked with or have been involved with camels to learn more about the labor practices that surround these animals. If interested, feel free to reach out to me at kuders@usc.edu !

Here's a little bit of information about Topsy: 

Born at some point prior to 1856, Topsy was brought from Turkey to Texas aboard the USS Supply, where she served in Jefferson Davis’ experimental Camel Corps. After the Corps were disbanded, Topsy served a number of odd jobs–including helping construct Route 66 and hauling salt in Nevada–before ultimately finding her way into the entertainment industry. During this time, Topsy worked for the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey–during which she was in a train crash which killed her mate and broke both of her humps–ultimately finding her way into W.N. Selig’s troupe, where she starred in a number of his films. After a long life, Topsy spent her waning years in the Old Los Angeles Zoo, where she would ultimately pass away.

Let's admit it, camels are the putrid evolutionary abomination of the dessert. They have that stomach thing, they spit, and they're such a**holes. I think I've found my spirit animal. Thoughts?

Is being held in Nevada Oct 25-27 this year

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/RaaBYWodAWbb4wL8/?mibextid=A7sQZp

Used for fighting rivals and grabbing the back legs of potential mates to "convince" them to lay down to mate. Nature is metal.

🌍🐫 Happy World Camel Day! 🐫🌍

Today, we celebrate these incredible creatures that have been our companions for centuries. Camels are more than just "ships of the desert" – they play a vital role in many cultures and ecosystems around the world. Let's take a moment to appreciate their resilience, strength, and the unique contributions they make to our planet.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5NybzlogTM/?igsh=MWZmNWxjMHJqd2x3MQ==

Year of the Camel

https://ooe.orf.at/stories/3238009/

"On late Tuesday evening, a dog attacked four circus camels in Mauthausen (Perg district) and lightly injured their legs. An as-yet-unknown man had let the dog off the leash after the performance."

"The dog then subsequently entered the stable where the camels were housed in individual boxes. When the 23-year-old son of the circus director intervened, he was also lightly injured on the shin."

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The owner walked away and hasn't been found yet. The camel hair entanglement may have been the reason the dog began going after horses instead, or the reason it was unable to reach them. Up until I read this, I was unaware camels sometimes shed their hair and that it's used for clothing.

Side note, what do you think of camels in circuses? Is there merit in a conversation about how they are treated in the circus?

Hi! As the title states, I would like to help with the conservation of Bactrian Camels due to them being critically endangered. Have you ever donated before for this cause? So far I found that I can adopt one with WWF or I can donate to The Wild Camel Protection Foundation. Which do you think is best or do you have any other suggestions? Thanks!

I have experience in horseback riding as someone who used to spend a few weeks every summer at a farm during my college years and I been looking at indoor mechanical horses as a training method since I live in the city and don't have any easy access to horses in my current lifestyle. So the question came to me when I rewatched Lawrence of Arabia in a local indie theater today and Omar Sharif as sheriff Ali rides both camels and Arabian horses throughout the movie, going to battle on either during the spectacular war set pieces at different points.

So it makes me wonder how interchangeable is the skills for riding camels is with riding horses? Is it safe to assume as seen with Omar Sharif's character in the movie, someone skilled in either one can easily transition in between and even if you only rode a single one of these different types of animals, it'll be much quicker for you to learn the ropes of handling another the first time you get on them? That for someone who's had experience in both even if rudimentary (as seen withh many extras in the movies and the more European cast in particular Peter O'Toole), it'll be easy to transition in between?

As a bonus question whats the specific differences of riding between the two creatures? Like is there a certain gait and posture you have to learn for traveling on camel that won't be effective for horse riding and vice versa?

In so many computer games like Rise of Nations, camels arre one of the best way to countering cavalry attacks. Camel cavalry gets bonuses in different games such as in the case of Rise of Nation +20% damage against horsemen. Other fames such as Total War follow the same stats bonuses when you send camel corps to battle European heavy cavalry and so on.

I'm curious does this have a basis in real life?

Or will it not do for keeping a camel in longrun? Will your typical horse stable even allow you to rent out space for a camel? How well would staff only familiar with horses be able to look after it? I'm really gonna buy a camel but I'm not sure if my home as it is will be able to keep it and thus I'm probably gonna leave it shortrun at your typical stables which is on the norm specifically for horses. Can a camel survive of horse food and average living conditions in a Western stable? Or would I need a place speficially for camel? Or at least staff that knows how to look after a camel? Should I get a camel shelter built near my home instead and hope the vet knows how to look after it? Or is that not enough and I even need doctors who specialize in camels and hire a local staff to live in my home who's knowledgeable about camel care and uptake?