A woman has sparked outrage online after getting up close and personal with a camel in Kuwait.
In the video posted on Reddit, the woman can be seen interacting with a camel, and the creature spits in her face.
Close encounters with humans can be stressful or harmful for animals, and the camel in this instance was giving clear warnings it was in distress. As the San Diego Zoo explains, when camels feel threatened by something, they "bring up the contents of their stomach" and spit to scare or distract whatever is bothering them.
In this case, as the original poster highlighted, the tourist may have put herself at risk. Humans and wildlife are capable of passing diseases between one another.
As for camels, they have been linked with the spread of the MERS virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who contract MERS have a severe infection, and approximately three to four out of 10 reported infections result in death.
Causing stress to animals can also lead to changes in their behavior in relation to feeding, social interactions, and sleep, per National Geographic.
Keeping your distance and observing wildlife from a distance is the best way to ensure you keep yourself and the animals safe. Animals that become too habituated to the presence of humans are often euthanized because they lose the natural behaviors that enable them to survive.
Sadly, the story of Callum, a friendly stag in Scotland, highlights this point, as he had to be euthanized after being fed human snacks by tourists, which caused his teeth to rot away, making him unable to forage for food naturally.
Keeping wild animals wild is also important for the planet and maintaining biodiversity. All animals, from insects to mammals, have their role to play in the function of our ecosystems, from pollinating plants and seed dispersal to cycling nutrients and keeping pests under control.
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Definitely 👍 Fortunately, the tourist in this post appears to have maintained their health, but her interaction with the camel serves as a reminder that connecting with nature includes connecting responsibility with it.
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The post received a number of comments from people who were horrified at the behavior of the tourist, with one writing, "These poor animals."
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