In a fascinating yet controversial practice observed in some regions, camels are sometimes fed live snakes, a behavior that has sparked curiosity and concern among animal welfare advocates. This unusual feeding method is believed to have roots in traditional medicine, where it is thought that consuming snakes can help treat certain ailments in camels.
The main cause of this rather strange tradition can be explained by a disease called hayam, or hemorrhagic disease, which is characteristic of camels. Some sources indicate that consuming a live snake can help to treat this disease, and its symptoms. It is believed that the venom from the snake causes the camel to produce antibodies which help it to fight the disease.
Such practice as this though not common shows how far some of the herders will go in order to have their animals treated especially in areas that could be considered as the dry lands where there are few if any, veterinary doctors. This behavior is not a health prescription alone, but is also a cultural one. Camels are sacred animals in some traditions, and they are also considered as central to the lives of the people living in the desert.
In this context, the process of feeding snakes to camels can be regarded as an example of the adaptability of these communities, trying to ensure the good health of their livestock using the available means. In a way that can be rationalized scientifically, there are physical peculiarities in camels that make it possible for the animals to ingest toxic materials such as snake venom.
Notably, camels have a remarkable capacity to immunologic against snake venom, which puts them in a better standing as compared to other animals. Be that as it may, based on the beliefs and biology of the camel, it is still possible to consume a live snake, but in the eyes of the experts, there is no science behind all of this, and it is wrong. It also has an ethical implication in relation to the well-being of animals used in the practice.
Some people think that putting live snakes into the camels’ mouth as food is unnecessarily cruel to both animals. Animal rights activists have come out calling for better treatment for the animals and improved animal health care especially for the camel without having to go to such an extent.
