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| Glow-in-the-dark camels for desert |
| 2003-07-02 |
| Israel is lighting up its camels in an attempt to stop fatal collisions between the traditional ship of the desert and motorised ones. Israeli police are sticking phosphorescent strips on the bodies of the camels to serve as warning lights for desert drivers, because of growing numbers of crashes in which both people and camels have died. The Bedouin population of Israel's southern Negev desert uses both forms of transportation - camels and pickup trucks - and the mix has often been fatal when the two collide in the night. "The camel safety problem is a serious one here," said Yossi Golan, commander of the Dimona police district in the eastern Negev. "In the last two years, 10 people have died in camel-related traffic accidents and more than 50 have been injured seriously," he said. Golan estimated that there are 5000 camels in the Negev desert. To protect them and their riders, he said, he called a desert-style council of wise people to come up with a solution. "We brought together Bedouin elders, the Transport Ministry, the Nature Reserves Authority, and camel herd owners - and the phosphorescent strip idea was born," he said. "We see it as a useful adjunct to the camel safety measures we already have in place - warning signs and guard rails at particularly dangerous road crossings." Golan said that the first 40 Negev camels were fitted with phosphorescent strips yesterday, and expressed hope that over the next several months as many of 1000 more could be lit up. "We're very serious about this operation," he said. "If only one life is saved in the process, the whole thing will have been worthwhile." Laugh if you like, but I'll bet hitting a camel would be about the same as hitting a moose. Big animal on long legs, it'll go right over the hood through the windshield. Kiss your ass goodbye if you're in the front seat. |
| Posted by:Steve |