A camel is a unique animal. The most common fact about a camel is that it can go for a long time without water and food. But besides this statement, people do not know a lot about camels. We offer to expand your knowledge about this incredible animal and learn some interesting facts about it.
1. There are three species of camels living in the world of which two are domesticated species (dromedary camel, and domesticated Bactrian camel) and one is wild (wild Bactrian camel).
2. There are about 14 million camels in the world and most of them live in the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.
3. The body of a camel is very well adapted to survival in deserts. Camel humps stores a large amount of fat, which is converted into water and nutrients when needed. The hump also serves as protection against overheating.
4. Camels live up to 35-40 years.
5. The humps can deflate and droop if the camel has gone a particularly long time without food, but they will sit upright again once the camel is able to refuel.
6. Most mammals suffer from dehydration at a loss of 15% of water, and camels may lose 30-40 % of their body weight as water, while still walking in the desert sun.
7. Caravans that once traveled through the Sahara desert, according to chroniclers, sometimes included up to twelve thousand camels
8. Mammals have round erythrocytes, and camels have a unique shape of their red blood cells, which are oval. At dehydration, round blood cells are stick together much faster, when oval cells are more elastic and can change shape more easily and that is why camels can consume large amounts of water.
9. A thirsty camel can drink up to a hundred liters of water in minutes.
10. The word “camel” itself came from the Arabic word “beauty” and Arabic has over 100 words for “camel” which at one point had as many as 1,000 words.
11. Camels can sweat, but only when the body temperature reaches over 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
12. The stamina and strength of the camels allow them to carry a pack of 250-300 kg, that is, almost half of their body weight, passing 30-40 kilometers a day.
