CAMELS

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• The two types of camel are found in different parts of the world. The dromedary camel, also called an Arabian camel, can be found in North Africa and the Middle East. The Bactrian camel lives in Central Asia. 

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• Camels like to stay together in groups called herds. The herds are led by a dominant male, while many of the other males form their own herd called a bachelor herd. Camels are very social and like to greet each other by blowing in each other's faces.

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• After a gestation of 12 to 14 months, a mother camel will find a private spot to have her young. Female camels usually only have one baby, but sometimes camels have twins.  Baby camels are called calves. The newborn calf is able to walk within 30 minutes, though the two won't rejoin the herd until around two weeks later. Camels become fully mature when they are 7 years old.  

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• *The camel's hump is like a storage container. When camels use their stored fat, their hump will diminish. * When they eat and drink again the hump will refill with fat.*Camels have oval-shaped red blood cells that help continue blood flow during times when water is scarce.

1. Diet

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   • These days, camels rely on man for their preferred food of dates, grass and grains such as wheat  and oats, but a working camel travelling across an area where food is scarce can  easily survive on thomy scrub or whatever it can find – seeds, dried leaves, cacti, etc. 

1. Hair

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   • All camels moult in spring and have grown a new coat by autumn. 
2. Nose

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   • A camel’s nasal passages are protected by large muscular nostrils that can be opened and closed at will. When a camel twitches its nose, it is cooling the incoming air and condensing moisture from its outgoing breath.
3. Legs

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   • A camel’s long, thin legs have powerful muscles which allow the animal to carry heavy loads over long distances. 
4. Mouth

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   • The camel has a large mouth, with 34 sharp teeth. They enable the  animal to eat rough thorny bushes without damaging the lining of its mouth, and  can be used as biting weapons against predators if need be.