The Camel Can Outlast Any Other Animal in the Desert

Camels are the ships of the desert which have long been valued as pack animals. They’re also utilized for milk, meat, wool, and hides. There are 3 species of this large ruminating hoofed mammal known for their ability to go for long periods without drinking. The Arabian camel or dromedary has a one back hump, while the domesticated Bactrian camel and the wild Bactrian camel have two. Camels have an unmistakable silhouette, with their humped back, short tail, long slim legs, and long neck that dips downward and rises to a small narrow head. They have broad, flat, leathery pads with two toes on each foot. The dromedary has horny pads on the chest and knees that protect it from searing desert sand when it lies down. Males weigh from 900 to 1,400 pounds while females are about 10 percent smaller. Their color is one of many shades of brown . Camels are generally docile, but they’ll bite or kick when annoyed. When excited, camels huff so sharply that spit is incidentally expelled.

Camels are excellent plodders and can carry heavy loads for long distances. During catastrophic droughts, herdsmen may lose all their cattle, sheep, and goats, but 80% of the camels will survive, owing to the camel’s ability to conserve water and tolerate dehydration. In severe heat,  a camel survives four to seven days without drinking, but it can go many months without drinking. Camels have adapted to desert conditions by being able to endure protein deficiency by eating items such as thorns, dry leaves, and saltbush. When food is plentiful, camels overeat, storing fat in one area on the back and forming a hump. When the fat is depleted, the hump sags to the side or disappears. Storing fat in one place also increases their body’s ability to dissipate heat everywhere else.

Camels are among those few creatures with which humans have forged a special bond of dependence and affinity. Traditional lifestyles in many regions would never have developed without the camel, around which entire cultures have come into being. The mobility and freedom that the camel afforded to desert life helped forge their independent culture and their strong sense of self-reliance. Until modern times, the camel was the backbone of the caravan trade, a central pillar of the economy in large parts of Asia and Africa. In Central Asia, vast and numerous camel caravans ensured the wealth and growth of the great trading cities of the Silk Road, upon which goods moved between Asia and Europe. All thanks to the camel’s incredible virtues and attributes of intelligence, patience, stamina, and determination.