A serious setback

Something very sad has happened. Emil, our male camel, has died.

Because of the drought, we were constantly on the lookout for alternatives for our livestock fodder. We observed that our camels also ate some Euphorbia species, which contain toxic substances. So we added some Euphorbia to their diet.

One day, a big euphorbia tree was cut down. In an attempt to get more fodder for our camels, one of our workers asked for the smaller branches and carried them to our camel enclosure.

Because of the drought (and because he’s a macho), Emil did not allow Camilla to eat any of the Euphorbia branches, eating all by himself. Sadly, he overate and the toxins in the twigs prevented them from being fermented, so after a few days he died.

We are very sad about this. We not only lost an animal, but also a dear part of our team. Especially Camilla is deeply troubled. Camels are social animals, and leaving her alone will put a big stress on her. So please pray with us that we will get enough funds for another camel quickly, so that she doesn’t die from loneliness as well.