AMAZING FACTS
ABOUT CAMELS
G'day folks,
Here are some facts you may not have known about these creatures.
Baby camels are born without humps. They are however able
to run within hours of birth, and they call to their mothers with a lamb-like
“baa” sound. Mother and child camel pairings are extremely close, staying
together for several years.
Quick Facts
- Type: Mammal
- Diet: Predominantly herbivorous
- Life span: Up to 45 years
- Size: 1.5-2.1 m tall, males larger than females
- Weight: 400-600 kg, males heavier than females
- Habitat: Deserts, mountains and other arid regions
- Range: Africa and the Middle-East, and Asia
- Scientific name: Camelus
Amazing Facts About the Camel
- Camels are social animals who roam the deserts in search of food and water with up to 30 other individuals.
- With the exception of rutting males competing for females, camels are very peaceful animals who rarely exhibit aggression.
- Contrary to popular misconception, camels do not store water in their humps. The humps are actually reservoirs for fatty tissue. Concentrating fat in their humps minimises insulation throughout the rest of the body, thus allowing camels to survive in such extreme hot regions.
- Asian camels have two humps whereas Arabian camels only have one.
- Camels have two rows of thick eyelashes to protect their eyes from the desert dust. They are also able to close their nostrils and lips to keep out the dust.
- Camels’ ears are small and hairy. However their sense of hearing is also extremely strong.
- The amount of water a camel drinks on a day-to-day basis can vary greatly, as they drink to replace only the fluid they’ve lost. A thirsty camel can drink up to 135 liters in one sitting!
- In Arab cultures the camel symbolises patience, tolerance and endurance.
- Camels have played such an important role in Arabian culture that there are over 160 words for ‘camel’ in the Arabic language.
Clancy's comment: These animals are so important to many people around the world. Here in Australia we have thousands of them.
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