Camel is Rajasthan's State animal

Rajasthan government today issued a notification making camel as the State animal, a step aimed at checking the decreasing number of the 'ship of the desert'.
With this, Rajasthan will now have two animals -- Camel and Chinkara -- enjoying the status of the State animal.
"A notification in this regard has been issued," a state government release said today.
In July, the state government had cleared the proposal at a Cabinet meeting held in Bikaner.
Camel is mainly found in Thar desert area of the state and provides livelihood to a large number of people in rural areas.
The animal is slaughtered for meat and is also as part of sacrifice in some areas.

Camels are also transported illegally to the neighbouring states for slaughter which has resulted in fall in the number of the animal prompting the state government to take the initiative to check its dwindling population.
Animal activist Babu Lal welcomed the move and said that the government has a challenge to protect the animal from being sacrificed as part of traditional ritual and slaughtering.