Why does a camel's hump fall off? Why does a camel have a hump? Camel - description, characteristics, structure

They say that a camel has water in its humps. But is this really so? Many argue that it is thanks to these moisture reserves that an animal can go without drinking water for a long time. Let's try to figure it out and give an accurate answer to the question: What's in a camel's hump?

Rudyard Kipling wrote many wonderful works. However, at the same time, he, unwittingly, became the father of many myths that spread throughout the world and continue their life in isolation from their literary roots.

One such myth is the myth of the camel's hump. According to this writer's tale, camels were punished with their hump for their excessive laziness.

However, many people firmly believe that water accumulates in the camel’s hump, which is subsequently used by the animal while wandering through the desert, when there are very few sources of water.

Are desert wanderers really like camels, carrying water in their humps?

But, according to scientists, there is no more truth in this belief than in Kipling’s famous fairy tale. Let's figure out for ourselves what a camel's hump is and what its contents are.

The fact that the camel is better adapted to the arid desert climate than any other mammal is perhaps beyond doubt among anyone even slightly familiar with zoology.

This long-legged, humpbacked ship of the desert can go for three weeks without a drop of poppy dew in its mouth. Some may say that this is not surprising, since on his back there is one, or maybe even two humps with water - real flasks. And he will refer to the fact that after long journeys through the desert, the humps of camels become like empty wineskins that dangle on their backs without any sign of the presence of contents in them.

In part, such people are right, but only in part. The fact is that thanks to their hump or humps, camels can actually overcome the pangs of thirst, but they do not carry any reserves of water in their humps, just as they do not carry any other liquid. In fact, a camel's hump is filled not with water at all, but with fat, which has at least two, almost magical properties.

The first of these properties is that fat is actually capable of breaking down into water if the animal needs it. Moreover, surprisingly, one hundred and seven grams of water are released from one hundred grams of fat.

The second property is that the hump filled with fat acts as a kind of air conditioner, with the help of which the blood that passes through it is cooled. Many people know that daily fluctuations in deserts are very large and if during the day the heat can reach seventy degrees, then at night the temperature can drop to almost zero. As a result, the hump manages to cool down to a temperature of thirty-four degrees overnight. And when the daytime temperature rises to the level of monstrous heat, the hump becomes a source of welcome coolness.

At the same time, camels actually accumulate water in their bodies. But this is not happening at all in a hump. Few people know that camels are probably the most zealous water-drinkers on the planet. At one time they can drink up to one hundred and fifty liters of water. A significant part of this volume of liquid is retained in the camel's proventriculus, distributed in it through special pockets.

Camels are famous water drinkers. At one time, an animal can drink up to 150 liters of liquid.

A significant part of the liquid is absorbed into the blood. We can say that the camel's body is a real sponge on four legs.

However, no matter how much water this animal drinks, it would still not be enough for a long time, if the camel’s body were not so super-economical. Among the means of saving moisture, the first thing to note is that the camel does not sweat at all. In addition, the breathing of this desert wanderer is greatly slowed down, which allows the animal not to lose particles of precious liquid along with the exhaled air.

As for the excretory system of camels, it is also subordinated to the tasks of saving fluid. For example, the kidneys of a camel filter the fluid to be excreted several times, squeezing out almost everything that is valuable. We can say that camel urine is an incredible concentrate of breakdown products in a minimal amount of water.

Of course, the camel is a fantastic animal, to put it mildly. However, in addition to the fact that it has such a unique moisture-saving mechanism, it is also very strong and durable.

As for camel dung, it is dry to such an extent that it is, in fact, ready-made dung and can be immediately used as fuel for a fire, which is done by the Bedouins living in this arid region and by travelers.

According to scientists, the camel is one of the first domesticated animals, along with the dog and the horse. In desert conditions, this is an absolutely irreplaceable form of transport. Moreover, camel wool has its own characteristics: it can save you from heat and cold, since it is hollow inside and is an excellent thermal insulator.

Finally, camel milk is also valued for its nutritional properties. Camel meat is also highly valued for its nutritional properties. For this, the proud animal is forgiven for its complex character.

Features of the camel's body structure

The most obvious and prominent feature of a camel's body structure is its hump.. Depending on the type, there may be one or two.

Important! A special feature of the camel's body is its ability to easily tolerate heat and low temperatures. After all, in deserts and steppes there are very large temperature differences.

The coat of camels is very thick and dense, as if adapted for the harsh conditions of the desert, steppe and semi-steppe. There are two types of camels - Bactrian and dromedary. The Bactrian has a much denser coat than the Dromedary. At the same time, the length and density of fur on different parts of the body is different.

On average, its length is about 9 cm, but from the bottom of the neck it forms a long dewlap. Also, a powerful coat of wool grows on the top of the humps, on the head, where it forms a semblance of a tuft at the top and a beard at the bottom, as well as on the nape.

Experts attribute this to the fact that in this way the animal protects the most important parts of the body from the heat. The wool is hollow inside, which makes it an excellent heat insulator. This is very important for living in places where there is a very large daily temperature difference.

The animal's nostrils and eyes are reliably protected from sand. To maintain moisture in the body, camels hardly sweat. The camel's legs are also perfectly adapted to life in the desert. They do not slip on rocks and tolerate hot sand very well.

One or two humps

There are two types of camels - with one and two humps. There are two main varieties of Bactrian camels, and other than the size and number of humps, the camels are not particularly different. Both species are perfectly adapted to life in harsh conditions. The dromedary camel originally lived only on the African continent.

This is interesting! Wild camels in their native Mongolia are called haptagai, and the domestic ones we know are called bactrians. The wild species of the Bactrian camel is listed in the Red Book.

Today there are only a few hundred individuals left. These are very large animals, the height of an adult male reaches 3 m and weight up to 1000 kg. However, such sizes are rare, the usual height is about 2 - 2.5 m, and weight is 700-800 kg. Females are somewhat smaller, their height does not exceed 2.5 m, and their weight ranges from 500 to 700 kg.

Dromedary camels with one hump are significantly smaller than their two-humped counterparts.. Their weight does not exceed 700 kg, and their height is 2.3 m. Like both of them, their condition can be judged by their humps. If they are standing, then the animal is well-fed and healthy. If the humps hang down, this indicates that the animal has been starving for a long time. After the camel reaches a source of food and water, the shape of the humps is restored.

Camel lifestyle

Camels are herd animals. They usually live in groups of 20 to 50 heads. It is extremely rare to see a single camel; they end up joining the herd. At the center of the herd are females and cubs. Along the edges are the strongest and youngest males. Thus, they protect the herd from strangers. They make long journeys from place to place up to 100 km in search of water and food.

This is interesting! Camels mainly inhabit deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. They use wild rye, wormwood, camel thorn and saxaul as food.

Despite the fact that camels can live up to 15 days or more without water, they still need it. During the rainy season, large groups of camels gather on the banks of rivers or at the foot of mountains, where temporary floods form.

In winter, camels can quench their thirst with snow. These animals prefer fresh water, but their body is designed in such a way that they can drink salt water. When they do get to the water, they can drink more than 100 liters in 10 minutes. Usually these are calm animals, but in the spring they can be very aggressive; there have been cases when adult males chased cars and even attacked people.

Camels are similar in build to ungulates, which is why they are often mistakenly considered artiodactyls. But there are so many unique features in the structure of camels that they are classified as a special order of Callopods. And quite reasonably, because they just don’t have hooves. Thus, the only relatives of camels are guanacos and vicunas. There are two known species of camels in the world - the two-humped (Bactrian) and the one-humped (dromedar), and only domesticated individuals are known of the latter species, so it is considered extinct in the wild.

Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus).

Camels are large animals, both species reach 2.5-3.6 m in height, a one-humped camel weighs 300-700 kg, a two-humped camel weighs 500-800 kg. The main external difference between camels is the humps of adipose tissue on the back. But they also have other features: their cervical arch bends down, and when walking, camels rely not on the end of the toe (hoof), but on the last few phalanges of the toes, which form a calloused pad. At the end of this pillow there is a small claw that does not perform any supporting function. A camel has a total of two supporting toes, so their foot pads are forked and resemble the limbs of artiodactyls. The structure of the digestive system also brings them closer to the latter; camels have a complex multi-chamber stomach, which allows them to digest the coarsest food as efficiently as possible.

The soft and wide feet of a camel allow it to walk on the sand without falling through.

At the same time, camels have a lot of unique features associated with special living conditions. Since camels live in deserts, everything in their body is aimed at combating overheating and maintaining moisture. The first barrier against heat and dehydration is wool. In a one-humped camel it is short and only slightly longer at the top of the hump and on the top of the head; in a two-humped camel the summer coat is of medium length, and the winter coat is very long (especially on the belly and underside of the neck). But regardless of the type and season, camel hair is always very thick and creates a dense, impenetrable layer around the body, insulating the skin from air.

Long hair protects camels from both heat and cold, because in deserts the difference between day and night temperatures is large, so protection from hypothermia at night (for the Bactrian camel and in winter) is no less important than protection from overheating.

Dealing with cold and heat at the same time is not easy, so camels have another unique adaptation - wide limits of permissible body temperature. If all mammals have a constant body temperature and a deviation of even one degree activates the mechanism of thermoregulation (sweating), then camels painlessly tolerate an increase in body temperature up to 40°, as well as a decrease to 35°. Camels begin to sweat only when their body temperature rises above 40°, which means they save valuable moisture on sweating. In addition, lowering body temperature by a couple of degrees at night allows camels to “stock up on coolness” for the coming day.

The next barrier to dehydration of the body is the nostrils; in camels they are slit-like and close tightly; a special fold in the nasal cavity plays the role of a condenser of water vapor, which flows into the oral cavity, so moisture does not leave the body. Under the same conditions, a camel loses 3 times less fluid than a donkey. In addition, narrow nostrils allow the camel to breathe during sandstorms, when myriads of grains of sand are floating in the air. For the same purposes, camels have very thick and long eyelashes that protect their eyes. Along with the nostrils, the camel's kidneys, which produce very concentrated urine, and the intestines, which produce almost dehydrated manure, work to conserve water in the camel's body.

The camel's nostrils are narrow, and its lips are soft and forked.

When all the ways for moisture loss are blocked, the problem of its accumulation arises. But for a camel this is not a problem. These animals are able to drink a huge volume of water in a short time (130-150 liters in 10 minutes), storing it in the stomach. Nutrients are stored in the form of fat reserves in the humps, which, in the event of a lack of food and water, begin to be consumed. When fat is broken down, water is formed as a by-product, but in the case of a camel, this product is not a by-product, but the main one. And although the breakdown of fat is not the main reason for the “drought resistance” of these animals, it undoubtedly helps the camel survive for a record long time without water. The ability of camels to do without a watering place is phenomenal: a Bactrian camel can easily tolerate 3-5 days of “abstinence” in the heat, a Bactrian camel can easily endure 5 days with high physical activity and 10 at rest. The secret of such endurance is in the properties of camel blood. Their oval red blood cells retain water in the vascular bed much longer than the red blood cells of other animals, and do not stick together even when the body loses 25% of fluid! Other animals can safely lose only 15% of their body's water reserves. The low mobility of these animals also indirectly contributes to the preservation of moisture; camels are slow and calm, they lead a measured lifestyle and adhere to a constant daily routine.

The condition of a camel can be judged by the size of its humps: a well-fed animal has full humps, while in starving individuals they are not filled with fat and hang down.

Wild Bactrian camels previously lived throughout Central and East Asia, but now they survive only in the Gobi Desert (Mongolia and China). But domestic Bactrian camels are still found in China, Mongolia, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan, and also in Kalmykia. In the 19th century, these camels were actively used to transport goods in Siberia, because accustomed to the harsh continental climate, they are not afraid of frost. Dromedary camels are native to North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. They are still found in these areas, and also penetrate west to Pakistan and India inclusive. Unlike Bactrians, dromedaries are thermophilic, cannot tolerate frost at all, and do not penetrate further north than Turkmenistan.

Wild camels live in deserts and semi-deserts, overgrown with saltworts, thorny bushes and low-growing trees (saxauls). They lead a sedentary lifestyle, but within their territories they make long daily marches. The word “camel” itself, translated from Old Slavonic, means “wandering a lot”, “walking a lot”. Usually camels graze in the morning and evening; during the day they try to lie down on the slopes of the dunes, chewing cud; here in open spaces they sleep at night. The usual pace of movement of these animals is a step at a speed of 10 km/hour. They have very sharp eyesight and can see a person a kilometer away; in case of danger, camels try to leave in advance, avoiding getting close to the enemy. If this fails, then they switch to ambling and run at speeds of up to 25-30 km/h; in extreme cases, camels run at an awkward gallop, but not for long.

Camels sleep lying down, while they bend their legs and stretch their necks or fall on their sides.

Camels live in family groups of 5-10 individuals; in the old days, herds of wild Bactrians numbered up to 30 animals. In the herd, the leading role is played by the male leader; he leads several adult females and their offspring. Seasoned males can live alone. A calm and calm atmosphere reigns in the herd; the camels, as if saving energy, avoid both friendly games and conflicts with each other. The camel's voice is a hoarse roar ( listen ).

These animals feed on desert vegetation; they are extremely unpretentious and eat everything that grows on the root - bitter and salty herbs, dry and thorny branches. The camel's lips are forked and very mobile, and these animals chew little, which allows the camel to easily eat thorny plants. It’s not for nothing that desert shrubs are nicknamed “camel thorn.” Contrary to their ascetic lifestyle, camels drink a lot and willingly, using any open body of water for this. In general, the relationship of camels to water is contradictory. On the one hand, many camels (according to observations in captivity) are excellent at... swimming, although they have never seen deep and wide reservoirs in their lives! On the other hand, individual individuals clearly do not understand what needs to be done with such an amount of water; there are cases when domestic camels drowned while crossing canals, trying... to cross them along the bottom. In general, camels do not like dampness; they tolerate a humid climate extremely poorly.

Unlike many desert animals, camels are not afraid of water and drink a lot for a long time.

The rut of camels occurs in December-January (among dromedaries) or in January-February (among Bactrians). Males protect their herds from attacks by single bachelors. Having seen a rival, the camel runs from afar to cross him, roars and in every possible way depicts his readiness to protect the females. If an opponent approaches, the owner of the harem fires a “warning shot” - the famous camel spitting. Thus, spitting is a defensive, demonstrative reaction. In captivity, camels can also spit on potential aggressors and strangers - annoying tourists and zoo visitors who, in the camel's opinion, have come too close and encroached on its territory.

Spitting with the tongue sticking out is considered especially effective. According to the camel, this should scare the enemy even more.

If spitting does not help, then the rival males engage in close combat. They collide with their chests, fight with their necks and try to drive away the opponent with force and bites. The defeated man flees.

A camel's pregnancy lasts 365-440 days and the female feeds the baby camel with milk for almost another year, so females give birth no more than once every 2 years. The camel gives birth while standing, and after a couple of hours the newborn can follow the mother. One two-humped camel produces 4-5 liters of milk per day; in one-humped females the milk yield is even higher - up to 8-10 liters of milk per day (this may be due to the altered genetics of domestic dromedaries). Camel milk is thick and nutritious; camel cubs grow quickly, but remain attached to their mother almost until adulthood. Young camels reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age, but males can participate in breeding no earlier than 5 years of age. Camels live quite a long time - 40-50 years.

Two males take part in traditional camel fights held in Turkey.

In nature, camels have almost no enemies, since in barren deserts there are no large animals at all. Nevertheless, wolves can be dangerous for the cubs of two-humped camels; in the old days, one-humped camels were threatened by Barbary lions, and two-humped camels were threatened by Transcaucasian tigers (now these predators have been exterminated). Their main enemy was and remains man. The complete disappearance of one-humped camels in nature and the catastrophic decline in the number of two-humped camels can be explained by hunting and mass harvesting for domestication in ancient times, as well as the destruction of natural habitats in modern times. Now there are about 1,000 wild Bactrian camels left in the world, which are protected in reserves in Mongolia and China. They are listed in the Red Book.

A female dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) with a rare black camel calf.

The role of the camel in human life looks ambiguous. For a European, a camel is more likely to cause a smile or disdain, because this animal cannot boast of grace, beauty, or speed, and the habit of spitting negatively affects its image. The people who breed them have a diametrically opposite attitude towards camels. Here camels are held in higher esteem than any other domestic animal. By the way, they were domesticated at the same time as horses and donkeys, that is, 5000 years ago.

Camels played a key role in the formation of nomadic civilizations, and not only that. Without camel caravans, the journey of Marco Polo, the discovery of India and China, and the introduction of Europeans to rice, spices, silk, paper, and precious stones of the East could not have taken place. Camels were used in numerous wars in India, China, Pakistan, throughout the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa, and they were used in this capacity until the twentieth century, and in India there is still a camel cavalry regiment patrolling inaccessible areas of the border. Now the camel is depicted on the coat of arms of Eritrea. Few people know that the exploration of North America took place not only with the participation of agile cowboys on fast horses, but also with the help of camels that delivered goods to the southern states. When the railway took over the transport function, the camels found themselves out of work and were thrown out into the desert by their owners. There they reproduced well, but stray animals displeased farmers and were completely destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century. The fate of camels in Australia was similar. This continent was also developed with their active participation. And here people also turned out to be ungrateful and left animals to their fate. But in Australia, wild camels were not destroyed, but multiplied and colonized all the interior regions of the continent. Now in this country there are 50-100 thousand wild dromedaries - a kind of compensation for the destruction of this species in their homeland. This number of camels is regarded as unfavorable, since they are food competitors of native species (kangaroos).

A feral dromedary camel crosses an abandoned railway in the Australian desert.

Camel breeding has its own characteristics. On the one hand, these animals are unpretentious; in Africa and Arabia they are kept on free grazing or in open pens. The same keeping applies to Bactrian camels, but in winter they are often kept in closed, unheated rooms. Camels are fed any kind of food, they eat both low-quality hay and food waste (bread, porridge, vegetables), Bactrians graze on pastures in winter. On the other hand, their grazing involves some difficulties. The fact is that camels cannot dig up snow with their soft padded paws, and the crust seriously injures their legs, so they try to release them onto pastures after the horses. Horses break the crust with their hooves, and camels get from under the loose snow what the horses did not eat. For the same reason, camels should not be used on poor gravel roads.

The relationships between camels and people are not easy; they have a “complex” character like a cat. On the one hand, camels are not aggressive, calm and playful, they are easy to control and do not require constant supervision. But it would be a mistake to believe that camels are brainless and uncomplaining cattle; these animals have highly developed intelligence and self-esteem. Thus, a camel allows herself to be milked only by a certain person and only in the presence of a camel. A sleeping or tired camel cannot be raised to its feet until it considers that it has already rested. Therefore, you must handle a camel confidently and respectfully, avoiding cruelty. Camels do not forgive beatings and unfair treatment and cease to obey humans, even if their will is broken by force, they can remember the insult. Camels' memory is very well developed, they remember events for many years and can take revenge for cruel treatment at the most unexpected moment (for example, lie down and crush the rider or bite). But camels are not vindictive; they remember goodness with the same strength. A camel always obeys a good owner and has a hard time withstanding separation. There are known cases when sold animals ran away and returned to their previous owner. Interestingly, camels from completely unfamiliar places independently found their way to home several hundred kilometers away!

One hump camel under saddle. Bactrians can be used without a saddle, since a person can sit between the humps; dromedaries can only be ridden when saddled.

Camels were used not only as vehicles, their meat and milk were the main components of the nomadic diet. Camel milk is used for fermentation and preparation of fermented milk drinks. The meat of young camels is tasty, but that of old animals is tough and stringy. Camel fat is similar in quality to lamb fat. Leather and skins are used to make coverings for yurts and household items (harness, belts, ropes). Even the droppings of these animals are used, because dry camel manure, rich in plant fibers, is an excellent fuel. But among all the products obtained from the camel, the most famous is wool. Long, thick and very warm, it was and remains an indispensable material for the production of clothing, shoes, and blankets. Camel wool is used in felted form (felt) and in the form of yarn (mohair). In terms of its qualities, mohair is not inferior to angora down and cashmere fabrics. Now Bactrian camels are raised mainly for this raw material. It must be said that one-humped and two-humped camels are somewhat different in biology, and therefore are used differently.

A dromedary camel during a competition at the camelodrome.

Dromedary camels

The original inhabitants of Africa, therefore, cannot tolerate frost, but they tolerate heat and drought better than Bactrians. Dromedaries are distinguished not only by the presence of one hump, but also by long legs and a general lightness of build. In this regard, they turned out to be indispensable as riding animals. Since speed was required during wars and raids, the Bedouins bred fast breeds of dromedaries. Nowadays these riding breeds are used as sport animals. Camel racing is a national sport in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Dromedary camels are also used as pack animals and for rides for tourists. The carrying capacity of dromedaries is not very large; they can carry 150 kg of cargo on their back. The largest and heaviest dromedary breeds are typically draft animals. The color of dromedaries is often sandy-gray (probably the color of their wild ancestors); some animals can be white or dark brown. Often, even in scientific works, there is a distorted name for these camels - dromedary, but it is better to avoid it; occasionally they are called Arabians.

An unusual role for a camel is working in a harness.

Bactrian camels or Bactrians

They got their name from the ancient Bactrian kingdom. They are distinguished by greater massiveness and strength, as well as long hair. Bactrians tolerate frosts well down to -30°...-40°, but tolerate drought and heat less well. Bactrian camels were also used under pack and saddle, but due to their massiveness, the light and fast breeds of Bactrians could not be bred. Among Bactrians, the most common breeds are universal, suitable for both saddle and harness. But the carrying capacity of these camels is higher than that of dromedaries - 250-300 kg! Bactrians are used to produce wool. The color of these camels is reddish-red (wild variant), domestic animals are often gray-yellow and brown, less often white.

There are no special dairy or meat breeds for camels; representatives of both species are used equally for these purposes. White animals are of particular value in all breeds. Such camels have always been considered a symbol of good luck and happiness.

A camel is a large mammal that belongs to the placental infraclass, superorder Laurasiatheria, order Artiodactyla, suborder Callopods, family Camelidae, genus Camels ( Camelus).

In a number of foreign languages, the word “camel” sounds similar to its Latin name: in English a camel is called camel, the French call it chameau, the Germans call it Kamel, and the Spaniards call it camello.

The origin of the Russian-language name of the animal has two versions. According to one of them, in the Gothic language a camel was called “ulbandus”, but, interestingly, this name applied to an elephant. And the confusion arose from the fact that the people who named the large animal that way had never seen either elephants or camels. Then the Slavs adopted the word, and “ulbandus” turned into “camel”. A more plausible version identifies the name of the animal with its Kalmyk name “byurgyud”. But no one doubts the fact that the camel is a real ship of the desert, covering hundreds of kilometers across vast expanses of sand.

Camel - description, characteristics, structure

A camel is an animal that is quite large in size: the average height at the withers of an adult is about 210-230 cm, and the weight of a camel reaches 300-700 kg. Particularly large individuals weigh more than a ton. The body length is 250-360 cm for two-humped camels, 230-340 cm for one-humped camels. Males are always larger than females.

The anatomy and physiology of these mammals are a clear indication of their adaptability to life in harsh and arid conditions. The camel has a strong, dense build, a long U-shaped curved neck and a rather narrow, elongated skull. The animal's ears are small and round, sometimes almost completely buried in thick fur.

The large eyes of a camel are reliably protected from sand, sun and wind by thick, long eyelashes. The nictitating membrane, the third eyelid, protects the animal's eyes from sand and wind.

The nostrils are shaped like narrow slits that can close tightly, preventing moisture loss and protecting during sandstorms.

Taken from the site: ephemeralimpressions.blogspot.ru

A camel has 34 teeth in its mouth. The animals' lips are rough and fleshy, adapted for tearing off thorny and tough vegetation.

The upper lip is forked.

Large calluses are located on the chest, wrists, elbows and knees of domestic animals, allowing the mammal to painlessly lower itself and lie on the hot ground. Wild individuals do not have calluses on their elbows and knees.

Each camel's leg ends in a cloven foot with a kind of claw located on a calloused pad. Two-toed feet are ideal for walking on rocky and sandy terrain.

The camel's tail is quite short in relation to the body and is about 50-58 cm.

At the end of the tail grows a tassel formed by a tuft of long hair.

Camels have a thick and dense coat that prevents moisture from evaporating in hot weather and provides warmth on cold nights. The camel's fur is slightly curly, and its color can be very diverse: from light to dark brown and almost black.

On the back of the animals’ heads there are paired glands that secrete a special odorous secretion, with which camels mark their territory by bending their necks and wiping themselves on stones and soil.

Contrary to popular belief, a camel's hump contains fat, not water. For example, the hump of a Bactrian camel contains up to 150 kg of fat. The hump protects the animal's back from overheating and is a reservoir for energy reserves. There are 2 closely related species of camels: one-humped and two-humped, having, respectively, 1 or 2 humps, laid down by evolutionary development, as well as some differences associated with living conditions.

Camels retain fluid in the scar tissue of the stomach, so they can easily tolerate long-term dehydration. The structure of camels' blood cells is such that during prolonged dehydration, when another mammal would have died long ago, their blood does not thicken. Camels can survive without water for a couple of weeks, and without food they can live for about a month. The red blood cells of these animals are not round, but oval in shape, which is a rare exception among mammals. Without access to water for a long time, a camel can lose up to 40% of its weight. If an animal loses 100 kg in a week, then after receiving water it will quench its thirst within 10 minutes. In total, the camel will drink more than 100 liters of water at a time and make up for the lost 100 kg of weight, recovering literally before our eyes.

All camels have excellent eyesight: they are able to spot a person a kilometer away, and a moving car 3-5 km away. Animals have a well-developed sense of smell: they sense a source of water at a distance of 40-60 km, easily anticipate the approach of a thunderstorm and go to where the showers will occur.

Despite the fact that the majority of these mammals have never seen large bodies of water, camels can swim well, tilting their bodies slightly to the side. A camel runs at an amble, and the speed of a camel can reach 23.5 km/h. Some individuals of wild haptagai are capable of accelerating up to 65 km/h.

Enemies of camels in nature

The main natural enemies of the camel are wolves. Previously, when tigers were found in camel habitats, they also attacked both wild and domestic animals.

Camel lifespan

On average, a camel lives about 40-50 years. This applies to both one-humped and two-humped species. Life expectancy in captivity ranges from 20 to 40 years.

What does a camel eat?

Camels are able to digest very rough and non-nutritious food. Bactrian camels eat various shrub and semi-shrub vegetation in the desert: saltwort, camel thorns, barnyard grass, parfolia, sand acacia, wormwood, onions, ephedra, and young branches of saxaul. With the onset of cold weather in rare oases, animals feed on reeds and eat poplar leaves. In the absence of main sources of food, Bactrians do not disdain the skins and bones of dead animals, as well as any products made from these materials. The dromedary camel feeds on any plant foods, including rough, hard and salty foods.

By consuming succulent grass, a camel can live without water for up to 10 days, obtaining the necessary moisture from the vegetation. Desert animals visit springs once every few days, and the camel drinks a lot at a time. For example, a Bactrian camel is capable of drinking 130-135 liters of water at a time. A notable feature of khaptagai (wild Bactrian camels) is their ability to drink brackish water without harm to the body, while domestic camels do not drink it.

All camels can withstand prolonged hunger, and it has been scientifically proven that overfeeding has a much worse effect on the health of these animals. By autumn, in years of abundant food supply, camels noticeably gain weight, but in winter they suffer much more than other animals: due to the lack of real hooves, they are not able to dig through snowdrifts in search of suitable food.

Domestic camels are extremely indiscriminate in their food and are practically omnivorous. In captivity or in a zoo, animals happily eat fresh grass and silage, any compound feed, vegetables, fruits, grain, branches and foliage of trees and shrubs. Also, the diet of domestic camels must include salt bars to satisfy the body's need for salt.

The three-chambered stomach helps the animal digest food. The mammal swallows food without first chewing, then regurgitates the partially digested food, the cud, and chews it.

Types of camels, photos and names

The camel genus includes 2 species:

• Bactrian camel.

Below is a more detailed description of them.

Dromedary camel (dromedary, dromedary, arabian) ( Camelus dromedarius)

The dromedary, or one-humped camel, has survived to this day exclusively in its domestic form, not counting newly feral individuals. “Dromedary” is translated from Greek as “running,” and the animal was nicknamed “Arabian” in honor of Arabia, where these camels were domesticated. Dromedaries, like Bactrians, have very long, calloused legs, but are more slender in build. Compared to two-humped camels, one-humped camels are much smaller: the body length of adult individuals is 2.3-3.4 m, and the height at the withers reaches 1.8-2.1 m. The weight of a one-humped camel ranges from 300 to 700 kg.

The head of the dromedary has elongated facial bones, a convex forehead, a hook-nosed profile, and the lips are not compressed like those of horses or cattle. The cheeks are enlarged, the lower lip is often drooping. The neck of the dromedary camel has developed muscles. A small mane grows along the upper edge of the neck, and at the bottom there is a short beard that reaches the middle of the neck. The forearms have no edges. In the area of ​​the shoulder blade there is an edge in the form of “epaulettes”, which consists of long curled hair and is absent in Bactrian camels.

Also, the one-humped camel differs from the two-humped camel in that the first does not tolerate frost at all, while the second is adapted to existence at extremely low temperatures. The coat of dromedaries is dense, but not particularly thick and long; such fur does not warm, but only prevents intense loss of fluid. On cold nights, the body temperature of a dromedary camel drops significantly; in the sun, the body warms up extremely slowly, and the camel sweats only when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees.

The longest hair grows on the animal's neck, back and head. The color of dromedaries is predominantly sandy, but dromedary camels are dark brown, reddish-gray or white.

Bactrian camel (Bactrian) ( Camelus bactrianus)

This is the largest representative of the genus and the most valuable pet for most Asian peoples. The Bactrian camel got its name from Bactria, the area in Central Asia where it was domesticated. A small number of wild Bactrian camels, called haptagai, have survived to this day: several hundred individuals live in China and Mongolia, preferring the most inaccessible landscapes.

The Bactrian camel is a very large and heavy animal: the body length reaches 2.5-3.6 m, and the average height of adult individuals is 1.8-2.3 meters. The height of animals, including humps, can reach up to 2.7 m. The length of the tail is 50-58 cm. Typically, a mature camel weighs from 450 to 700 kg. Male camels of the valuable Kalmyk breed, fattened over the summer, can weigh from 800 kg to 1 ton, the weight of females ranges from 650 to 800 kg.

The Bactrian camel has a dense body and long limbs. Bactrians are distinguished by a particularly long, curved neck, which first bends down and then rises again, so the animal's head is in line with its shoulders. The humps of a camel are located at a distance of 20-40 cm from each other (meaning the distance between the bases of the humps), forming a saddle between them - a place where a person can sit. The distance from the saddle to the ground is about 170 cm, so before climbing onto the camel's back, the rider must order the animal to kneel or lie down on the ground. The space between the humps is not filled with fat even in the most well-fed individuals.

An indicator of the health and fatness of a Bactrian camel is its elastic, evenly standing humps. In emaciated animals, the humps completely or partially fall to the side and dangle while walking. The Bactrian camel has extremely thick and dense hair with developed undercoat, ideal for living in the harsh conditions of a continental climate with its sultry summers and cold, snowy winters. It is noteworthy that in the usual biotopes of Bactrians in winter the thermometer drops below -40 degrees, but the animals tolerate such frost painlessly.

The structure of the fur of a Bactrian camel is very unique: the hairs are hollow inside, which significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the coat, and each hair is surrounded by thin hairs of undercoat, between which air accumulates and is well retained, also reducing heat loss.

The length of the Bactrian's coat is 5-7 cm, but on the lower part of the neck and the tops of the humps the hair length exceeds 25 cm. The longest hair grows on these camels in the fall, and in the winter the Bactrians look the most pubescent. With the onset of spring, Bactrian camels molt: the hair begins to fall out in clumps and then the Bactrians look especially unkempt and shabby, but by summer the short coat takes on a normal appearance.

The usual color of the Bactrian camel is brown-sand of varying intensity, sometimes very dark, reddish or very light. Among domestic Bactrian camels, the most common individuals are brown in color, but gray, white and almost black specimens are also found.

Light-colored camels are the rarest and make up only 2.8% of the total population.

What is the difference between domestic and wild Bactrian camels?

There are some differences between domestic and wild Bactrian camels:

• Wild camels (khaptagai) are slightly smaller in size than domestic camels and are not as dense, but rather lean; their footprints are thinner and more elongated;
• Khaptagai have a much narrower muzzle, shorter ears, and their pointed humps are not as large and voluminous as those of their domestic relatives;
• The body of khaptagai is covered with reddish-brown-sandy fur. In domestic animals, the coat may be light, sandy yellow or dark brown;
• The wild camel haptagai runs much faster than the domestic one;
• But the main difference between a domestic camel and a wild one is that khaptagai have completely absent callous formations on the chest and knees of the front legs.

Camel hybrids, photos and names

Since ancient times, the population of countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan practiced interspecific hybridization of camels, that is, they crossed one-humped and two-humped camels. Hybrids are of great importance in the national economy of these countries. Below is a description of the hybrids:

Nar– a hybrid of first generation camels, crossed using the Kazakh method. When female Kazakh Bactrian camels are crossed with male Turkmen Bactrian camels of the Arvana breed, a viable cross is obtained. Hybrid females are called nar-maya (or nar-maya), males are called nar. In appearance, the bunk looks like a dromedary and has one elongated hump, which consists of 2 humps fused together. The offspring always exceeds the parents in size: the height at the shoulders of an adult bunk is from 1.8 to 2.3 m, and the weight can exceed 1 ton. The annual milk yield of a female Nara with a fat content of up to 5.14% can exceed 2000 liters, while for dromedaries the average milk yield is 1300-1400 liters per year, and for Bactrians no more than 800 liters per year. Nars, in turn, are capable of producing offspring, which is rare among hybrid specimens, but their young are usually weak and sickly.

Iner (iner)- This is also a hybrid of first-generation camels obtained by the Turkmen method, namely: by crossing a female Turkmen one-humped camel of the Arvana breed with a male Bactrian camel. The hybrid female is called iner-maya (or iner-maya), the male is called iner. The iner, like the bunk, has one elongated hump, is distinguished by high rates of milk yield and wool clipping, and also has a powerful physique.

Zharbay, or jarby– a rare second-generation hybrid obtained by crossing first-generation camel hybrids. Experienced camel breeders try to avoid such reproduction, since the offspring are low productive, sickly, often with obvious deformities and signs of degeneration in the form of severely deformed joints of the limbs, a curved chest, and so on.

Kospak– a camel hybrid obtained by crossing the absorption type of Nar-May females with a male Bactrian camel. Quite a promising hybrid in terms of increased meat mass and high milk productivity. It is also recommended for breeding for further crossing in order to increase the small population of another camel hybrid, kez-nar.

Kez-nar- a group of hybrid camels, which are the result of crossing Cospak females with dromedary males of the Turkmen breed. As a result, individuals appear that exceed the cospaks in weight, and are ahead of the nar-may in height at the withers, milk production and wool clipping.

Kurt- a group of hybrid camels obtained by crossing the iner-may with males of the Turkmen dromedary. Kurt is a one-humped hybrid; the animal's forearms are slightly pubescent. Milk productivity is quite high, although the fat content of the milk is low, and the kurt is not a record holder in terms of the amount of wool sheared.

Kurt-nar- hybrid camels bred by crossing Kurt hybrid females and Bactrian males of the Kazakh breed.

- a hybrid of a dromedary camel and a llama. The resulting hybrid has no hump, the animal's fur is fluffy, very soft, up to 6 cm long. The kama's limbs are long, very strong, with double hooves, so the hybrid can be used as a hardy pack animal, capable of carrying loads weighing up to 30 kg. The kama has rather small ears and a long tail. Height at the withers varies from 125 to 140 cm, and weight from 50 to 70 kg.

Camels live exclusively in natural areas such as dry steppes, semi-deserts and deserts. Areas with a humid climate are destructive for animals.

Previously, camels inhabited most of Central Asia, the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts, and were widespread in Mongolia and China. In the east, the habitat of these animals reached the great bend of the Yellow River, and in the west it bordered the countries of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Over time, the area of ​​its range has greatly decreased. Today, wild Bactrian camels live in 4 isolated areas in countries such as Mongolia and China. On Mongolian territory, Bactrian camels live in the southeast, in the Trans-Altai Gobi up to the border with China. The Chinese camel population is concentrated in the west of the country, in the area of ​​the dry salt lake Lop Nor. The wild Bactrian camel is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Domestic dromedary camels are widespread in northern Africa, in the territories of Central and Asia Minor and in the countries of the Middle East as far as India.

Dromedary camels have also been introduced to the Balkans, southwestern Africa, the Canary Islands and Australia.

Lifestyle of wild camels

Khaptagai, wild camels, live in small groups of 5 to 9 individuals. The herd consists of camels with cubs, led by a dominant male. Sometimes young, sexually mature males live in the herd and leave the herd during the breeding season.

Khaptagai never stay in one place, but constantly migrate, but do not go beyond their usual biotopes, sandy and rocky areas, where there are always springs or other sources of water. After heavy rains, gigantic concentrations of camels can be observed at watering places in flooded rivers. To quench their thirst in winter, camels rely on snow. With the onset of winter, camels move to the southern border of their range and remain in wind-protected foothills or oases with poplars.

Khaptagai are active during the day, and at night they sleep or chew cud. Animals wait out the storm, lying motionless on the rocks, in bad weather they take refuge in ravines, and in the heat they walk around, fanning themselves with their tails, against the wind and with their mouths open, thus reducing their body temperature.

Compared to their domestic counterparts, wild camels are more aggressive and quarrelsome, but at the same time cautious and even cowardly. According to researchers, they are frightened even by domestic camels, and when they see a person or car, they stop grazing, stretch their necks and look intensely towards danger. True, during the rutting season they can attack herds of domestic camels, kill males and drive away females.

Camel breeding

The mating season of dromedary camels occurs during the winter months and the accompanying rainy season. The rut of Bactrian camels also occurs in winter, but a little later than that of dromedary camels. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 3 years in females and not earlier than 5 years in males.

During the breeding season, male camels become especially aggressive and dangerous, rushing about, roaring, whistling and muttering, and rushing at male relatives in an attempt to mate. Many males foam from their mouths. Rutting males start bloody fights with each other: opponents kick each other, bite each other on the head, try to bend each other to the ground and knock them down. Particularly brutal fights between males end in the death of the weaker opponent.

Before mating, individuals of both sexes pour urine on their legs and smear it over the body with their tail; males actively mark the territory with the secretion of the occipital glands. The female camel, ready for mating, kneels down and lies down in front of the chosen one, who immediately after copulation runs away in search of the next female.

In a one-humped camel, pregnancy lasts 13 months, in a two-humped camel it lasts 14 months. Childbirth occurs while standing, and usually only one baby is born; twins in most cases end in miscarriage. The weight of a newborn Bactrian camel is 36-45 kg, and the height at the withers is about 90 cm. Bactrian camels, oddly enough, weigh almost 100 kg at birth. Newly born camel cubs, two hours old, are already able to follow their mother.

Lactation lasts about 1.5 years, but pure milk feeding lasts about 6 months. During the day, a female Bactrian camel produces 4-5 liters of milk, a female Bactrian camel produces up to 8-10 liters of milk. These animals have a strong concern for their offspring, and the camel calf remains under the care of its mother until it reaches puberty. The males then leave and join bachelor groups, while the females remain with their mother.

According to experts, Bactrian camels were the first to appear evolutionarily, and this fact is proven by intrauterine development: the embryos of all camels are initially Bactrian, and in the later stages one hump disappears in the baby dromedary.

For the first time, humans tamed camels 2-4 thousand years BC. e., and since then they have been considered the most hardy and irreplaceable workers in their usual biotopes. Individuals of both sexes aged from 4 to 25 years can transport luggage amounting to up to half their weight, covering a distance of up to 80-90 km per day.

Domesticated forms of camels are widespread in large parts of Asia and Africa, as well as in Australia, where they were introduced and perfectly adapted to the local climate.

Since ancient times and to this day, camels have been used as draft power and bred for meat, milk, leather, wool and dung. Camel meat is eaten, it is quite suitable for consumption and tastes a little sweet due to the presence of glycogen in it. Beshbarmak is prepared from camel meat, and the fat from the humps is consumed warm, immediately after slaughter, then it is distilled.

Camel skin is thick and durable, so it is used to make belts, whips and shoe tops.

Unique camel wool is thin and unusually warm, so it is used to make clothing for polar explorers, astronauts and divers. Camels are groomed after spring shedding, the undercoat is combed out, and to preserve its unique qualities, camel fur is never dyed. Due to the fact that only 6-10 kg of wool can be obtained from one Bactrian, and even less from a Dromedar (about 2-4 kg), the wool of these domestic animals is the most expensive.

Camel dung is so dry that it is perfect for heating residential premises: its flame is even, smokeless and has high heat transfer rates.

Camel milk is highly valued among the peoples of Asian countries. Its fat content is about 5-6%. Camel milk has a sweet taste, is quite nutritious and contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. One camel can produce from 300 to more than 1000 liters of milk per year (depending on the breed).

• Enraged camels have the ability to spit their cud quite accurately. Camel spit is not saliva, but foul-smelling stomach contents.
• It is no secret that many armies around the world used camels during military operations. Thus, in the city of Akhtubinsk there is a military monument dedicated, among other things, to the camels Mashka and Mishka, who served during the Great Patriotic War in the 902nd Infantry Regiment and carried a gun, which was one of the first to fire a volley at the Reich Chancellery building.

As you know, there are two types of camels: one-humped and two-humped. They are often called dromedary and bactrian, respectively. Adult animals weigh, on average, from 500 to 800 kg, and the height of adults is up to 2.1 meters.

One-humped and two-humped camels differ not only in the number of humps, but also in the color of their coat. The former have reddish-gray fur, while the latter have dark brown fur. Camels have a long neck, curved in an arc, and ears are small and rounded.

The structure of their feet allows camels to move on the sand without falling through. Camels' toes are connected to each other and form a common sole. Wide two-toed feet - for walking on loose sand or small stones.

Structural features

The most obvious structural feature of camels is their hump (or humps). Their functions will be discussed a little later. An important feature that significantly influences the ability of camels to withstand the heat and cold of the desert is their coat.

The coat of camels is thick and dense. In Bactrian it is much longer and thicker than in dromedary. Moreover, the length of the fur is not the same on different parts of the body. On average it is about 7 cm, but from the bottom of the neck the wool forms a long dewlap. The same long hair grows on the top of the humps, as well as on the head, where it forms a semblance of a tuft at the top and a beard at the bottom, as well as on the nape.

The structure of camel fur is also interesting. In Bactrians, the hairs are hollow inside, which contributes to the low thermal conductivity of camel hair. Each coat is surrounded by several fine hairs of undercoat, which hold a lot of air. This structure of the coat allows the camel to retain a lot of air on the body, which significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the coat.

And the camels’ body is very well adapted to retain moisture. Water evaporation is minimized because the camel keeps its nostrils tightly closed, opening them only during inhalation and exhalation. A camel begins to sweat only if its body temperature reaches +41°C. At night, a camel's body temperature can drop to +34°C.

Habitat

Archaeological excavations have allowed scientists to conclude that wild camels lived in vast areas of large parts of Central Asia. The animals were widespread in the Gobi and other desert areas of Mongolia and China. In the east, their habitat reached the great bend of the Yellow River, and in the west - to the territory of modern central Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Wild camels are called haptagai. They are preserved in 4 isolated areas of the territories of Mongolia (the Trans-Altai Gobi and the foothills of the Edren and Shivet-Ulan ridges, to the border with China) and China (in the area of ​​Lake Lop Nor). Today there are practically no wild camels left; their numbers do not exceed several hundred individuals and tend to decline. This is due to the active development of territories.

Lifestyle and nutrition

Camels are herd animals. They live in groups of 5 to 20 (sometimes up to 30) heads, in which for several females with offspring there is one male leading the herd. Often young males also join the herd, but during the breeding season they leave the group.

Wild camels in nature roam from one place to another. They mainly inhabit rocky, desert places, on the plains and in the foothills, with sparse and rough vegetation and rare sources of water. Camels are ruminants. They feed on saltwort, wormwood, camel thorn and saxaul.

Despite the fact that camels can go without water for up to two weeks, it is vital for them. Large groups of camels accumulate after rains on the banks of rivers or at the foot of mountains, where temporary floods form. In winter, camels can quench their thirst with snow, and in the absence of fresh water, they can drink salty water.

Why does a camel have a hump?

When we found out that camels can go without drinking for a long time and feed on some indigestible thorns, it’s time to figure out why they need humps.

According to Rudyard Kipling, nature gave camels humps for their laziness. But considering what wonderful pack animals they are, domesticated by humans more than 3 thousand years ago, it’s hard to believe in the camel’s laziness.

For a long time it was believed that the humps acted as “flasks” for water. This version was so popular and convincing that it was only recently possible to refute it. Scientists, after conducting a series of studies, were able to prove that humps have nothing to do with the body’s water reserves. It is rather a storehouse of nutrients.

In other words, humps are deposits of subcutaneous fat, which, in the absence of feed for a long time, begins to be consumed by the animal. Camels, which do not lack food, have humps that “stand” straight, proudly rising above the back of their owner. And in animals that have not eaten for a long time, they sag. Camel humps can contain up to 150 kilograms of fat.

In addition to fat reserves used during times of famine, humps also serve as thermostats, being located on the back, which receives the most sunlight in desert conditions.

• Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
• Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron.
• Free electronic encyclopedia Wikipedia, section "Camels".
• Free electronic encyclopedia Wikipedia, section "Bactrian camel".
• Rudyard Kipling. Fairy tale "Where the camel got its hump."
• Obruchev V.A. "In the wilds of Central Asia."