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One-humped dromedaries and two-humped Bactrian camels are long-necked herbivores that can survive with minimal water, their humps acting as energy stores. They have evolved to be one of the most important domesticated animals for humans living in some of the harshest conditions worldwide – from Asia to the Middle East and Northern Africa. South American camelids, like llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas have some of the softest and most sought-after wool in the world. Now, the UN has declared 2024 the Year of the Camelids for the extraordinary creatures' continued contributions to the livelihood and survival of people across 90 countries. Here are some places travellers can visit to learn more about this incredible species, whether witnessing them in the wild, splashing out for high-end souvenirs made of their silky wool, or diving into prehistory with the help of fossils left behind. Finding fossils in Texas, US When thinking of a camel, many picture one in a desert in Northern Africa, the Middle East or India. Finding the fossilised remains of one at the Waco Mammoth National Monument in Texas is a surprise to most who visit, but camels did in fact originate in North America. Their family tree split a long time ago, with their cousins finding their way to South America (llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas are all part of the camelid family), while the paracamelus crossed the Bering Strait land bridge 6 or 7 million years ago, making their way towards Eurasia. Seeing the bones of a Western camel curled up next to a family of Columbian mammoths with parts of a saber-toothed cat nearby raises questions about this lesser-known prehistoric creature. At their peak, Western camels were found mainly in the western parts of North America, including parts of Canada, all the way to northern Mexico. Wild and free in the Australian Outback Of all the strange places to find camels, Central Australia is at the top of the list. Brought over to carry goods over the difficult, arid terrain in the 19th Century, camels were abandoned in the 20th Century when motor vehicles proved more efficient. Since then, the Australian camels, now feral, have grown to over a million strong. While they are thriving, efforts are underway to minimise the damage they can cause. A book by Ken Thompson, which examines invasive species, is aptly called Where do Camels Belong? – and it poses a good question indeed. It will challenge ideas on ecology by arguing that the common thinking that all native species are good and all non-native species are bad is too simplistic an approach to conservation.