MELBA, Idaho — A small herd of Kuna camels is taking on an unusual job in Canyon County — helping clear weeds, brush and other vegetation as part of an experiment to see whether the animals can be used for weed abatement and wildfire mitigation.
The five camels from Thunderstorm Ranch in Kuna sure do love a prickly snack.
“They love to eat anything you don’t wanna step on they eat thistle they eat kochia they eat goat heads," said Lisa Berry. She and her husband, Darin Bell, own Thunderstorm Ranch and about half of the camels in the state.
“We happen to be the largest camel farm in Idaho," said Berry.
That comes out to a whopping seven camels total.
Watch the Kuna camel herd munch on some noxious weeds
They usually spend their time meeting folks in Kuna or at events around the Treasure Valley, but now they're trying out a new job.
“This is our experiment with bringing them to other properties to graze and see how they do," said Berry.
The goal is for them to get rid of weeds, brush and other foliage from the field, something many people are more accustomed to seeing goats do.
“Well, I’m hoping that they will prove their value as a weed abatement animal," Berry added.
Their first assignment is at Robin Hernandez's property in Melba.
“It’s rehabbing the field, but it’s also seeing the camels every day, they bring a lot of joy and happiness," said Hernandez.
Hernandez first met Berry and her camels at the ranch in Kuna and thought they could help rehabilitate her field while also cutting down on potential wildfire fuels.
“If the camels can be helpful to people with their pastures and their weed abatement and taking care of the possibility of fire spreading, I think this is a great way to do it," Hernandez added.
It should only take the herd a few days to get through all the grass, weeds and trees on the property before heading back home to Kuna.
You can learn more about the Thunderstorm Ranch and their camels here.
