Contributed photo Mona the camel in the ferry line to leave San Juan Island.

Mona the camel is leaving the island.

In 2005, Steven King and his wife made an impulsive decision to purchase a pet camel. His wife had worked in Egypt and had an affinity for the animal. The only problem was her name: Mildred the moaner.

She was named such because her original owner would be gone for weeks at a time and in their absence, Mildred would cry – a sad, terrible sound.

So King changed her name to Mona after a toddler he fostered many years ago.

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