You asked and we’re answering! In our interactive talk back section of the Beyond Fortune: The Life & Legacy of Doris Duke exhibition at Rough Point, so many of you wanted to know more about Doris Duke’s camels.
Princess and Baby, Doris’s Bactrian camels, were born in 1987 and came to live with her in Newport in 1988. They enjoyed the summer months here on the back lawn of Rough Point and winter months in a heated stable at Duke Farms in New Jersey. Rumor has it that they also enjoyed eating graham crackers!
One of the most common questions we received was, “What happened to the camels?”
After Doris Duke passed away in 1993, Princess and Baby retired to Duke Farms. Princess eventually moved to Popcorn Park Zoo, an animal sanctuary in Forked River, New Jersey.
Another frequently asked question was, “What did Princess and Baby eat?”
Staff at Rough Point would be responsible for the care and feeding of the camels—Princess and Baby also took vitamins. Here is an inventory of supplies used by the camels in 1993:
Feed Supplies
75 bales of hay
45 bags of shavings
10 bags of omolene
Feeding Schedule
Feed the camels two times a day 7am—7pm
1 scoop for Baby
1 scoop for Princess
Vitamin E – one ounce each in their grain, once a day
Have you seen the living statues of the camels on the front lawn? Both are a tribute to Princess and Baby. The frames of the camels are made of steel rebar and are covered with chicken wire. Zip ties hold sphagnum moss in place. The plants—mostly sedums and hens-and-chicks—are overwintered on the camels. In the spring, some new plants are added.
Come see Beyond Fortune to leave your own questions for us about Doris Duke and Rough Point, and don’t forget to take a #camelgram while you’re here!
