Bactrian Camel

The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) is a large even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of eastern Asia. The Bactrian camel has two humps on its back, in contrast to the Dromedary which has one.

Appearance and habitat

Bactrian camels are over 2 meters (7 feet) tall at the hump and weigh in excess of 725 kg (1,600 pounds). They are herbivores, eating grass, leaves, and grains, capable of drinking up to 120 litres (32 US gallons) of water at a time. Their mouth is extremely tough, allowing them to eat thorny desert plants.

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They are supremely adapted to protect themselves against the desert heat and sand; with wide, padded feet and thick leathery pads on the knees and chest, nostrils that can open and close, ears lined with protective hairs, and bushy eyebrows with two rows of long eyelashes. Thick fur and underwool keep the animal warm during cold desert nights and also insulate against daytime heat.

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The Dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) is the only other surviving camel species, native to the Sahara desert, but today is extinct in the wild. By comparison the Bactrian camel is a stockier, hardier animal being able to survive the scorching desert heat of northern Iran to the frozen winters in Tibet http://www.abc.net.au/creaturefeatures/facts/camels.htm. The Dromedary is taller and faster, and with a rider it can maintain 8-9 mph for hours at a time. By comparison a loaded Bactrian camel moves at about 2.5 mph http://www.ancientroute.com/resource/animals/camel.htm.

Related Topics:
Dromedary - Sahara desert - Iran - Tibet

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