Camel: Physical Characteristics, Behavioural Traits, Habitat, Diet and Adaptation

Deserts are tough places to live in. There is hardly any water, the sand is burning hot in the day, and food is hard to find. Yet one animal moves through this land with ease, the camel. People often call it the “Ship of the Desert” because it carries goods and travellers across the sand, just like a ship carries them across the sea. Camels have lived alongside desert people for thousands of years, helping them travel, trade, and survive. A baby camel is known as a calf. It's able to stand and walk just a few hours after birth. As it grows, a calf slowly learns to deal with the harsh desert weather, the same way its parents do. In this article, we will learn what makes camels so special and how their bodies are built for desert life.

Table of Contents: 

• Where do Camels Live
• That Famous Hump
• What Camels Eat
• Built for the Desert
• Helping People for Centuries

Where do Camels Live

Camels are found in the hot deserts of Asia and Africa. India's Thar Desert, Africa’s Sahara Desert, and many deserts in the Middle East are home to camels. These places get very hot during the day and cold at night. Most animals cannot handle this kind of weather, but camels manage it well.

That Famous Hump

A camel's hump is its most well-known feature. A lot of people believe it is full of water, but that's not true at all. The hump is actually made of fat. When there isn't enough food around, the camel's body uses up this stored fat little by little. That's one big reason camels can go without eating for so long. There are two kinds of camels. The one-humped kind is called a Dromedary camel, and it lives in places like India, North Africa, and the Middle East. The two-humped kind is called a Bactrian camel, and it lives in colder areas like Mongolia and parts of China.

What do Camels Eat

Camels are not fussy eaters. They mostly eat dry grass, leaves, and thorny desert plants that other animals avoid. Their thick lips help them chew these tough, prickly plants without any pain. Camels can eat almost any plant they find, even ones with very little water in them. When food is hard to find, their bodies use the stored fat from the hump for energy. This is what makes camels such hardy desert survivors, able to manage on very little food for days.

Built for the Desert

Everything about a camel's body seems made for the desert. Its feet are wide and flat, so it doesn't sink into loose sand while walking. Long eyelashes and nostrils that can close keep sand and dust out during storms. Thick, tough lips let it chew on dry, thorny desert plants that most animals would avoid. Camels also drink a huge amount of water when they get the chance, sometimes 100 to 150 litres in one go. But once they've had their fill, they can go without water for many days, sometimes even weeks.

Helping People for Centuries

Camels have been helping desert people for a very long time. They carry heavy loads like food, water, and other goods over long distances. People also ride them to travel through the desert. Camel milk is used as food and drink, and camel hair is sometimes turned into warm blankets and clothes. Without camels, crossing deserts in earlier times would have been extremely difficult. Even now, camels matter a lot in desert regions. Camel fairs and races still take place in several countries, including India. One of the most well-known is the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, where thousands of camels are bought, sold, and shown off every year.