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Malvi Camel Faces Critical Extinction Risk
What’s the News?
The Malvi camel, a rare indigenous breed also known as the white camel, is facing a severe extinction threat. The 20th Livestock Census recorded only 102 Malvi camels, while breeds having fewer than 300 breeding females are considered at risk.
The ICAR–National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) has initiated a scientific conservation and pure-breeding programme. It has procured 12 Malvi camels—three males and nine females—to establish a breeding population and preserve the breed’s genetic identity.
Malvi Camel
- Species: Camelus dromedarius—single-humped camel.
- Common name: White camel.
- Distinctive feature: Predominantly white or light-coloured coat.
- Size: Regarded as India’s smallest indigenous camel breed.
- Traditional uses:
- Transportation.
- Carrying agricultural and commercial loads.
- Milk production.
- Females are reported to produce around 4–5 kg of milk, although the reports do not specify a standard reference period for this figure.
Distribution
The breed is primarily associated with the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining southeastern Rajasthan.
- Madhya Pradesh: Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam and Gwalior.
- Rajasthan: Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar and Baran.
Its population has declined because of changing rural transport systems, reduced demand for draught camels, shrinking grazing resources and weakening economic incentives for camel rearers.
Conservation Programme
The programme is being implemented by the ICAR–National Research Centre on Camel, Bikaner, under a network project of the ICAR–National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal.
Major components include:
- Pure breeding to prevent genetic dilution.
- Expansion of the breeding population.
- Documentation of morphological, productive and adaptive traits.
- Participation of camel owners and livestock rearers.
- Awareness generation regarding the breed’s economic value.
- Promotion of camel milk and other livelihood-based uses.
NRCC is an ICAR institution specialising in camel production, health, breeding and value-added camel products, while NBAGR is responsible for the identification, registration and conservation of India’s indigenous animal genetic resources.
Risk Classification
Recent reports commonly describe the Malvi camel as endangered. However, an official government response based on the 2019 Livestock Census placed the Malvi, Mewari and Mewati camel breeds in the “Critical” risk category.
The Census recorded:
| Camel breed | Population |
|---|---|
| Malvi | 102 |
| Mewati | 92 |
| Mewari | 465 |
Thus, the figure of 102 is the 2019 Census count, rather than a fresh population enumeration conducted in 2026.
Additional Info
- India’s registered indigenous camel breeds
- Bikaneri.
- Jaisalmeri.
- Kachchhi or Kutchi.
- Jalori.
- Marwari.
- Kharai.
- Mewari.
- Mewati.
- Malvi.
- 20th Livestock Census
- Conducted by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
- Enumerated approximately 2.52 lakh camels in India.
- Registered breeds accounted for about 60.4% of the camel population.
- Non-descript camels accounted for about 39.6%.