Heartbreaking moment camels carry bricks in ‘world’s hottest workplace’ with temperatures reaching FIFTY degrees

THIS is the heartbreaking moment camels are forced to work relentlessly in the most extreme conditions in what has been dubbed "the world’s hottest workplace".

The harrowing footage shows working camels transporting large stacks of bricks by cart at local brick kilns in the Rajasthan state of northern India.

While the sturdy animals play a key role in transporting local materials, they work in punishing conditions in this hard and dusty environment, where temperatures can often reach 50 degrees Celsius.

Without shade, camels and local workers - including families who help make the bricks - work up to nine hours a day, according to global animal charity SPANA (the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad).

Camels haul loads weighing two tonnes, with each cart filled with 800 or 900 individual bricks, the charity warned.

In the hotter days, they are made to work through the night, from 2am to 11am.

In these intolerable conditions, the hoofed mammals are under constant threat of injury and illness, with wounds and lameness among common problems.

Additionally, the blistery conditions mean that the animals often also suffer from respiratory conditions, colic and skin diseases such as mange.

Speaking ahead of on Tuesday, Linda Edwards, SPANA's chief executive, said: "Working animals like the camels working in the brick kilns of Rajasthan perform vital roles in the world’s most impoverished communities.

"However, they are often completely over-looked and many people are unaware about the extreme conditions they face.

"Sadly, many working animals endure exceptionally harsh conditions, often carrying excessive loads in sweltering heat across tough terrain.

"Their welfare is often very poor – they lack access to water, shelter and veterinary care."

SPANA, which improves the welfare of working animals in low-income countries, including providing essential veterinary care, has treated more than 9,300 suffering camels at brick kilns in India through its mobile clinics in the last year.

Aside from veterinary care, camel owners are also offered training and advice to care properly for their animals.

This support, which includes educating owners about adequate nutrition and the use of safe and comfortable equipment for their animals, helps to avoid preventable issues for the camels, the charity said.

Worldwide, more than 200 million working animals - horses, donkeys, camels, mules and elephants - make it possible for poverty-stricken families to earn a small income and survive.

These animals do the jobs of trucks, tractors and taxis – and transport goods, food, water and firewood - effectively supporting the livelihoods of more than half a billion people, SPANA said.

Whether on the brick kilns in India, the rubbish dumps of Mali's capital Bamako, or on the inaccessible terrain of Morocco's Atlas Mountains, working animals endure unimaginably hard conditions.

CEO Edwards added: "We are committed to improving the lives of working animals in low-income countries around the world and the need for our work is greater than ever.

"So many working animals are in desperate need of help, but with your support we can ensure that animals receive the recognition, respect and vital care they need."

In 2021, SPANA provided critical veterinary treatment and vaccinations to more than 291,000 sick and injured animals in 28 countries, along with lifesaving feed and water for animals in crisis situations.