ISLAMABAD Pakistan is facing acute dearth of camels with its existing number around 0.7 million. One of the potent reasons behind this shortage is believed to be the regular use of Pakistan-origin camels in the Gulf for the camel-race. The numbers of Pakistan-origin camels are decreasing with each passing year because of the certain causes as within 20 years the number camels reduced to 0.7 million from over one million in the country. The Pakistan-origin camels need special attention of the concerned authorities with every point of view including constant check on animal smuggling and use of countrys origin camel in the Gulf for the racing, experts of the livestock department believed. Currently there are 0.7 million camels in the country, while the number was over around one million in 1990, Dr. Khursheed Ahmed, Deputy Animal Husbandry Commissioner of the Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development, told TheNation. It will also be not out of place to mention here that these camels are not only famous for the racing in the Gulf areas but also for their use for different dishes besides their milk. Pakistanis are even not aware of the importance of Pakistan-origin camels as they with help of the middleman, are bound to sell them on cheap price due to poverty without knowing its actual price, Deputy Husbandry Commissioner highlighted. Another startling revelation has surfaced, when he informed that in some cases these animals are smuggled from Balochistan to Saudi Arabia via Iran and in some other cases, they are taken to different states via sea route, he added. Like Pakistani Super Karnal Basmati is famous in the world for its fine quality, our Pakistani camels are also the finest with different point of view, he said. It is also pertinent to mention here that there were around 0.7 million camels in the country, which should be 3 million to fulfil the needs of the country. These issues were also highlighted by establishment of the camel breeding farms in Choolistan aiming at obtaining the Governments support for farmers of the area to promote better nourishment of the important cattle. The establishment of camel breeding farms will increase population of the animal as well as increase production of the camels meat and milk. The livestock also believed that the camels of Balochistan were exported to Australia around 50 years ago and now the country is facing dearth of this species, which was once being exported. It may be a shock for many people that Australia, a country with 1.6 million camels, is reportedly planning to simply shoot thousands of them and leave their bodies in the desert. It may be mentioned here that the camel racing is a deep-rooted traditional sport activity that finds its origins in the desert culture of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East. Camels, commonly referred as ships of the desert, have played a vital role in the region for thousands of years, influencing every aspect of daily life. It was also reported that the camel racing in Australia began as a result of large number of import of the camels that began in the 1840s and continued till early 1900s for the main purpose of providing transportation across the continent. With the advancements in the technology, the camels lost their relative value and many were released or escaped. Eventually, the largest wild camel population in the world is estimated around 200,000 camels. According to the one of the reports, the long drought has brought what has been described as a 'biblical camel plague into the small town of Docker River.