Who hasn't seen a movie with camels crossing a long, endless desert?
What you may never have asked yourself is how do camels survive in the desert considering that they have to withstand very extreme temperatures.
These animals have adapted their morphology to be able to live in the habitats from which they originate. If you are curious about how it is possible for a camel to withstand these desert crossings, be sure to read this article on our site.
Types of camels
Before discussing how camels survive in the desert, we should begin by differentiating the two types of camels that exist: the Arabian or dromedary camel and the Bactrian or Asian camel.
The main difference between these two animals is that the camel has two humps while the dromedary has only one.
However, this is not the only inequality. I recommend that you read this article where we explain all the differences between a camel and a dromedary.
Dromedary or camel depending on the weather
The entire morphology of the camel is adapted to withstand extreme temperatures. Here it is convenient to make a distinction:
The dromedary or Arabian camel is better prepared to survive with extreme hot temperaturesOn the other hand, the Bactrian camel (with two humps) has evolved to survive and overcome winters with maximum cold temperatures. In the Gobi desert it can become 40 degrees below zero
How long can a camel go without drinking
The data is incredible. If we find ourselves in winter, it is said that a camel can last up to 50 days without drinking anything at all. On the other hand, in summer it is said that they can hold between 5 and 10 days without drinking.
It should also be mentioned that these data will vary depending on the physical activity that the animal is performing.
How do camels survive in the desert
Thanks to your hump
There is a popular belief that a camel's hump is filled with water. Lie. It is full of fat. In one hump it can store up to 36 kilos of fat This fat the camel is able to metabolize to produce water, food and energy
A summary of the process would be as follows: the camel's hydrogen mixes with the oxygen, thus producing water. For half a kilo of fat, the camel gets half a liter of water. The camel begins to lose weight by carrying out this process. In fact, the hump begins to shrink and can even slide to the side. As soon as the camelid feeds again, its hump stands upright
The consumption of water
The camel's ability to feed is another secret to its survival in the desert. In just about 15 minutes, a camel can drink about 140 liters of water. From then on, it will start producing fat again.
Another of the most important points of metabolism in your water reserve is your blood. As we saw before, the camel obtains its water from the fat of its humps. On the other hand, other mammals, even having fat, die dehydrated, since they hydrate themselves through the water in their blood.
But camel blood has two more peculiarities:
- On the one hand, when the camel is dehydrated, its blood becomes less dense so that it can circulate more easily. As soon as the animal recovers, its blood also returns to its normal state.
- On the other hand, the blood of a camel is capable of withstanding temperatures of 6 degrees.
Other oddities that help the camel survive in the desert
The shape of the camel's body, with its slender neck and long legs, promotes cooling. Also, with the height of its extremities, it manages to be far from the heat that the ground transfers.
Fur also plays a role The camel has short, even hair spread all over its body. With it, it prevents the sun's rays from affecting it directly. But also, when the ambient temperature is higher than that of his body, the fur not only does not give him heat, but also helps reduce it
Another feature that helps camels save water is that they hardly sweat. The temperature has to be above 40 degrees for a camelid to sweat.
One of the greatest dangers that can lie in wait for us in the desert is being caught up in a storm. For even for this the camel is prepared. Not only does he have long eyelashes that protect his eyes, but he also has muscles that close his nostrilsto keep sand out.
Aren't camels amazing animals?
If you want to discover more peculiarities of the animal kingdom, be sure to visit the Animal Expert section dedicated to News and Curiosities, where you will find articles that will show you how the polar bear survives the cold or how long it can reach to measure an anaconda.
