Two-humped Camel

Even-toed and with two humps, Bactrian camels are mammals with brown fur.

Bactrian camels have been domesticated for such a long period of time that we may never know what their original habitats were like. Their two-humped bodies are perfect for desert travel. They have broad feet for walking on sand. Their long eyelashes shield their eyes from sand, and their nostrils close to keep sand out. The humps on their backs actually store energy for when they have a long journey ahead of them. Camels can survive without water for long periods of time and can lose about forty percent of their body weight in water. (Other animals can only safely lose twenty percent.) Camels can also drink salty water and have been known to drink one third of their body weight in ten minutes! The thick fur on their head and hump shed annually. Camels roam in female herds accompanied by one adult male. Other males live alone or in bachelor groups.

Fun Facts: The camel can reach speeds of forty miles per hour when running.

Zoological Name: Camelus bactrianus
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered
Primary Habitat: Desert
Global Home: Asia and Australia