Camels and wildlife: quantitative evidence of increased richness of wildlife animal species in areas concentric to camel farms in the Canary Islands (Spain)

In recent decades, agricultural livestock farms have garnered attention for their negative environmental impacts, including water contamination, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions. However, sustainable, extensive livestock management can potentially enhance local biodiversity. Evidence suggests that areas around these farms may exhibit greater faunistic richness than protected areas without such activities due to direct and indirect interactions among cohabiting species. Despite its growing prevalence worldwide, Camel farming has mainly been overlooked in this research field. Thus, the present research uses cartographic data, analyzed with QGIS 3.4.1, to first explore the spatial relationships between wildlife richness (number of different species/m2) and camel farming in the Canary Islands (Spain). The study employed the ‘Buffer’ tool to create four concentric circles around each camel farm with radii of 500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m, and 4000 m. The total and protected wildlife species’ richness across various taxa (mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, arachnids, mollusks, entognaths, protozoa, crustaceans, annelids, and myriapods) were calculated for each buffer zone. Discriminant analysis was conducted to identify significant differences in species richness among the buffers. The Canary Islands are home to the largest population of the only camel breed native to Europe, the endangered ‘Camello Canario’ (Camelus dromedarius). The camels’ selective grazing and involvement in eco-tourism activities in this region might play a crucial role in local ecosystem biomodulation. The study’s results reveal that wildlife richness, including protected species, is notably higher within a 1 km radius of camel farms. Specifically, richness indices for mammals, birds, arachnids, and mollusks, as well as protected species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and mollusks, are significantly higher (p<0.05) in these areas. Overall, this research highlights the potential of domestic camels in the Canary Islands as an ‘umbrella species.’ Sustainable camel breeding and conservation may help preserve local agroecosystems and support the survival of various coexisting wildlife species. Complementing these results with characterizing the existing interspecific relationships will favor the successful design and development of local, integrated management and conservation strategies.

Camels and wildlife: quantitative evidence of increased richness of wildlife animal species in areas concentric to camel farms in the Canary Islands (Spain) Keywords:

Camels , wildlife , biodiversity , Canary Islands , species richness , camel farming , ecosystem , conservation