Highland Wildlife Park denies camel distress claim

• Only male camel at the Highland Wildlife Park has become protective of female companions during mating season

• The camel, Karanli, has been chasing passing vehicles to ‘display his ownership’

• Park has denied claims by Captive Animals Protection Society (Caps) that they are exploiting the camel

Karanli, the only male Bacterian camel at the Highland Wildlife Park, has become protective of his two female companions during the mating season.

So much so, any passing vehicle which drives through the open zoo now becomes “open competition” and he “displays his ownership” by chasing them away.

Staff invited photographers to witness the “completely natural show of territorial activity”, but were condemned by the Captive Animals Protection Society (Caps).

Caps director Liz Tyson, said: “The idea that a zoo would deliberately create a stressful situation for one of the animals in its care in order to facilitate a cheap publicity stunt is repugnant.

“To suggest that there is no problem because the camel ‘enjoys’ being goaded by having a car driven towards him in order to elicit an aggressive response is misguided, at best.”

She added: “To exploit the camel’s natural instinct to defend his mates against danger by turning it into a cheap sideshow for publicity is utterly unacceptable.”

The Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, near Aviemore, said Karnali and his companions Caramel and Khara had been living together in the park since 2009.

Douglas Richardson, head of living collections, described the criticism as “ill informed.”

He hit back at the accusation vehicles would be “driven” at the camels, saying they would always keep a safe distance and drive off when Karanli shows aggression, which he ironically failed to do at the photo call.

Mr Richardson said: “The comments from Caps are unfortunately ill-informed assumptions and it is important to note that at no time have they contacted the Highland Wildlife Park regarding their alleged concern for Karnali our male camel.

“This is in now way cruel. His behaviour is the product of the natural seasonal territoriality of the male of the species and there is absolutely no indications that he is stressed by this.

“With high levels of testosterone running through him, as is normal, our male camel is predisposed to see-off perceived competition.

“If anything, the presence of our Park vehicles and his view that they may be trying to “steal” his females, allows him to express a natural behaviour that most male camels in zoos would not have an outlet for.

“Karnali actually lives in a large mixed species drive through a reserve of 15 acres and it is his choice to interact with the Park vehicles that drive through on the road each day - the suggestion we drive a vehicle towards him is ludicrous.

“Organisations like Caps regularly criticise zoos for what they see as circumstances that limit the range of a species behavioural repertoire.

“In the case of our male camel, their view that the keepers’ Land Rovers are stressing the animal appears to contradict their view that zoos limit what a species has evolved to do.”

Mr Richardson said: “When a camel goes head to head with another camel it sees as competition they normally froth at the mouth and head towards it at a mild trot.

“It becomes a pushing contest, using their huge padded necks. It is like an arm wrestling contest.

“However, as long as he is seeing us drive off in the Land Rover then he has won. If one runs off the other has successfully seen off his rival.

“He then goes back to the girls to make sure no one else is sneaking up on them. It is quite impressive to watch.”