Runaway camels: German bus driver gets an unexpected encounter with an 800kg road hazard

Local wildlife and escaped pets wandering across roads have long posed a danger to traffic. So much so that warning signs are a familiar sight, calling for drivers to slow down and watch out for leaping deer, wandering livestock and even, in certain spots, wild boar. But one German road recently presented motorists with a rather more unusual hazard: a group of runaway camels.

A local bus collided with one of the animals near Riedering, in Bavaria’s Rosenheim district, on the morning of Saturday, November 7, after three camels escaped from an enclosure beside the road. The incident is a rather more unusual example of the animal-related traffic hazards already reported on Spanish roads.

Camel run over by bus brushed accident off

The camel involved in the crash was named Zafira. She was crossing the Rosenheimer Straße with the other animals when the bus, driven by a 61-year-old man, approached. The driver was unable to avoid the collision.

Fortunately, nobody was injured, including Zafira. The impact shattered the bus’s windscreen and damaged a wing mirror, causing an estimated €500 in damage. German broadcaster BR24 reported the collision, confirming that the camel and bus driver escaped injury.

Police said the camels belonged to a travelling showman whose circus was visiting the area. They had been kept in a field secured by an electric fence, which investigators initially suspected had not been properly connected.

However, the circus owner later offered a different explanation, telling local reporters that an unleashed dog had entered the enclosure and frightened the animals into breaking out. Rosenheim24’s follow-up report revealed the unusual explanation and provided further details about the incident. That account has not been independently confirmed.

Camels carried on a normal

The animals were returned safely to their owner, and police issued the animal keeper with a warning. The incident was an unusual first for one experienced local officer, who said he had never dealt with a road collision involving a camel during his 25 years in the force.

There was even a small consolation for the bus passengers. The circus owner reportedly gave them complimentary tickets after their unexpected encounter with Zafira.

Drivers are accustomed to being warned about deer, cattle and other animals crossing roads. In Bavaria, it seems, the list of potential hazards may need updating to include camels. Previous EWN reports of wild boar causing multiple road accidents show that even familiar wildlife can cause considerable disruption.