Camels are mammals with two humps, belonging to the camelid family, like dromedaries. They are native to the desert regions of Asia and North Africa.
Due to their passive behavior and large size, they are often used as pack animals. In other regions such as North Africa, they are used as entertainment during the holidays, and as transport for tourists who vacation in the desert.
CAMEL CHARACTERISTICS
They are very large animals, which can reach around two meters in height. Their large nostrils can be closed when they are in the desert, to prevent them from inhaling sand. Likewise, the long eyelashes that they have, help them protect their eyes from the sandy wind typical of their natural habitat.
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They have very long and thin legs, ending in two-hoofed limbs, which allow them to walk on sandy soils without sinking or falling, as well as pads under the hooves, which prevent them from being burned by the permanent heat of the areas. desert.
The reproduction of camels is small compared to other animals. At each delivery, a maximum of 2 babies are born, and the pregnancy lasts about 13 months.
Their average life span is approximately 50 years, all depending on the species, the climate where they live, and whether they achieve good survival conditions, feeding correctly.
CAMEL FEEDING
They are herbivorous mammals, whose diet is based exclusively on dry and thorny plants, which are generally found in desert areas and grasslands. Their large mouth and resistant lips allow them to eat thorny plants without a problem and without getting hurt.
Given that the natural habitat of camels is in large areas of desert, where there can be long periods of scarcity, camels have an extraordinary ability to survive in dry environments without water for long periods. They can go up to 2 weeks without ingesting any type of food or liquid, thanks to the storage they keep in their humps.
Their digestive system includes 3 stomachs, which allow them to make the most of the food they eat, digesting it repeatedly. After this process, they turn the food into fat and store it in their two humps, which have a storage capacity of approximately 36 kilos. Thanks to the reserve that they accumulate every time they eat, when the time comes when no food is available, or it is difficult to access it, camels resort to that extraordinary reserve that they have accumulated in their humps and feed on there, meeting their basic and essential food needs, which allows them not to become dehydrated or starve. Once they are emptied, the humps go sideways, returning to their place, when they return to consuming food and accumulating fat.
In relation to water, camels also know how to solve in case of drought. They can absorb moisture from the food they consume the most, especially from plants.
