Camel Report
... born after a gestation period of thirteen months. The calf can move around freely after one day of birth. The mother nurses the calf for a year. Maturity is from three to five years and a camel’s life span is 30-40 years. Camels are very well adapted for the desert. Their feet are broadened to walk on sand. They have long eyelashes to protect their eyes from wind blown sand. Nostrils also close to keep sand out. Camel’s lips are thick to withstand harsh desert plants. The coloration of camels matches their desert environment. Thick calluses are on knees and other parts that touch the hot sand when the camel sits down. The hump on the camel is a mound of flesh that is boneless. It is made up of fat where water is stored in the hump. The hump varies in size. Camels can survive with a rise in their body temperature when most animals can’t. They can also drink extremely dirty water and even salty water. The camel’s tolerance to dehydration is incredible. Most animals die when 20% of their body weight is lost while the camel can lose 40% without having serious harm to it self. Heavy fur and the fatty hump insulate the body, stopping the camels body from reaching the point of sweating so as the camel doesn’t lose water. When a camel has lost a great amount of water, it can replenish its water supply quickly. Camels have been known to drink one third of their body weight in ten minutes. Camels run similar to that of a giraffe with both legs on one side of the body moving at the same time. This causes them to rock back and forth thus getting the nickname “ship of the desert”. Camels have been used as beasts of burden for centuries. They are known for their dislike of men and of work. They spit nasty, foul-smelling stomach contents when annoyed. Arabs put every part of the...