Camels (Camelus) are a genus of mammals belonging to the camelid family (Camelidae) and the suborder Camelidae. Large representatives of the artiodactyla order (Artiodactyla) are well adapted for life in arid regions, including deserts, semi-deserts and steppes.
Description of the camel
The weight of an average adult camel varies between 500-800 kg, with a height at the withers of no more than 200-210 cm. One-humped camels are reddish-gray in color, while two-humped camels are characterized by a dark brown color.
Appearance
Camels have curly fur, a long and arched neck, and small, rounded ears. Representatives of the camelid family and the callosopod suborder are characterized by the presence of 38 teeth, of which ten are represented by molars, two canines, ten molars, two molars, a pair of canines and twelve molars.
Thanks to the long and shaggy eyelashes, the camel’s large eyes are reliably protected from sand and dust, and the slits of the nostrils can be closed very tightly if necessary. A camel's vision is excellent, so the animal is able to see a moving person at a distance of a kilometer, and a car even five kilometers away. The large desert animal perfectly smells water and plants.
This is interesting! A camel is able to sense the territory of fresh pasture or the presence of fresh water even fifty kilometers away, and when it sees thunderclouds in the sky, the desert animal goes in their direction, hoping to get to a place with pouring rains.
The mammal is quite well adapted to life in harsh and waterless areas, and also has special pectoral, wrist, elbow and knee calluses, which often come into contact with soil heated to 70°C. The animal's fairly thick fur is intended to protect it from the scorching daytime sun and night cold. The fingers connected together form a common sole. Wide and two-toed camel feet are well adapted for walking on small stones and loose sand.
A camel is not capable of losing significant amounts of fluid through natural feces. Moisture, which is released from the nostrils during breathing, easily collects inside a special fold, after which it enters the animal’s oral cavity. Camels are able to do without water for a long time, but at the same time they lose about 40% of their total body weight.
One of the specific adaptations of camels for living in desert conditions is the presence of humps, which are large fat deposits and serve as a kind of “roof” that protects the animal’s back from the rays of the scorching sun. Among other things, the high concentration of such fat reserves of the whole body in the back area contributes to good heat output. Camels are excellent swimmers, and when moving in water, such animals typically tilt their bodies slightly to the side.
Character and lifestyle
In the wild, a camel tends to settle down, but such an animal constantly moves across various desert territories, as well as rocky plains or large foothills, trying to stay within large, already marked areas. Any haptagai prefer to move between rare water sources, which allows them to replenish their vital water supplies.
As a rule, camels live in small herds of five to twenty individuals. The leader of such a herd is the main male. Such desert animals are active mainly during the daytime, and with the onset of darkness, camels sleep or behave rather sluggishly and somewhat apathetically. During hurricane periods, camels can lie down for days, and on hot days they move against the wind, which promotes effective thermoregulation, or hide in bushes and ravines. Wild individuals are shy and somewhat aggressive towards strangers, including people.
This is interesting! There is a well-known practice according to which winter grazing of horses is carried out, easily churning the snow cover with their hooves, after which camels are launched into such an area, picking up the remaining food.
When signs of danger appear, camels run away, easily reaching speeds of up to 50-60 km/h. Adult animals are able to run for two or three days until their strength is completely exhausted. Experts believe that natural endurance and large size often cannot save a desert animal from death, which is due to its small mental development.
The lifestyle of domesticated individuals is completely subordinate to people, and wild animals quickly get used to leading a lifestyle characteristic of their ancestors. Adult and fully mature males are able to live alone. The onset of winter is a difficult test for camels, who find it very difficult to move on snow cover. Among other things, the absence of true hooves in such animals makes it impossible to dig out food from under the snow.
How long do camels live?
In favorable conditions, camels can easily live for about four decades, but such a significant life expectancy is still more typical for fully domesticated specimens. Among wild haptagai, quite often there are quite large individuals, whose age is fifty years.
Types of camels
The camel genus is represented by two species:
- one-humped;
- two-humped
One-humped camels (dromedaries, dromedaries, arabians) - Camelus dromedarius, have survived to this day exclusively in a domesticated form, and may also well be represented by newly feral individuals. Dromedary is translated from Greek as “running”, and such animals are named “Arabians” in honor of the inhabitants of Arabia who tamed them.
Dromedaries, along with Bactrians, have very long and calloused legs, but with a more slender build. Compared to the two-humped camel, the one-humped camel is much smaller, so the body length of an adult is no more than 2.3-3.4 m, with a height at the withers ranging from 1.8-2.1 m. The average weight of an adult one-humped camel varies at 300-700 kg.
Dromedaries have a head with elongated facial bones, a convex forehead, and a hook-nosed profile. The animal's lips, compared to horses or cattle, do not compress at all. The cheeks are enlarged in size, and the lower lip is most often drooping. The neck of dromedary camels has well-developed muscles.
This is interesting! A small mane grows along the entire upper edge of the cervical region, and on the lower part there is a short beard reaching the middle of the neck. On the forearms the edge is completely absent. In the area of the shoulder blades there is an edge that looks like “epaulettes” and is represented by long curled hair.
Also, one-humped camels differ from their two-humped counterparts in that they are extremely difficult to tolerate even minor frosts. However, the coat of dromedaries is quite dense, but not too thick and relatively short. The dromedary camel's fur is not intended to provide warmth and only helps prevent excessive fluid loss.
On cold nights, the body temperature of dromedary camels drops significantly, and under the sun's rays the animal warms up very slowly. The neck, back and head of the dromedary camel are covered with the longest hair. Dromedaries are predominantly sandy in color, but there are representatives of the species with dark brown, reddish-gray or white fur.
Bactrian camels, or Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) are the largest representatives of the genus, and are the most valuable pets for a large number of Asian peoples. Bactrian camels owe their name to Bactria. This area in Central Asia became famous for the domestication of the Bactrian camel. There are also currently a small number of wild Bactrian camels called haptagai. Several hundred of these individuals today live in China and Mongolia, where they prefer the most inaccessible natural landscapes.
Bactrian camels are very large, massive and heavy animals. The average body length of an adult of this species reaches 2.5-3.5 m, with a height of 1.8-2.2 meters. The height of the animal, including humps, can easily reach 2.6-2.7 m. The length of the tail most often varies between 50-58 cm. As a rule, the weight of a mature Bactrian camel ranges from 440-450 to 650-700 kg. A well-fed male camel of a very valuable and popular Kalmyk breed over the summer can weigh from 780-800 kg to a ton, and the weight of a female most often ranges from 650-800 kg.
Bactrian camels have a dense body and fairly long limbs.. Bactrians are noticeably distinguished by a particularly long and curved neck, which initially bends downward and then rises again. Due to this structural feature of the neck, the animal’s head is characteristically located in line with the shoulder region. The humps of all representatives of this species are located at a distance of 20-40 cm from each other. The space between them is called the saddle, and is often used as a place for a person to sit.
The standard distance from the interhump saddle to the surface of the earth is usually about 170 cm. In order for a person to climb onto the back of a Bactrian camel, the animal kneels or lies down on the ground. It should be noted that the space that is located between the two humps of a camel is not filled with fat deposits even in the most mature and well-fed individuals.
This is interesting! Bactrian camels, with a light coat color, are the rarest individuals, the number of which is no more than 2.8 percent of the total population.
The main indicators of the fatness and health of a Bactrian camel are represented by elastic, evenly standing humps. Emaciated animals have humps that partially or completely fall to the side, so they dangle a lot when walking. Adult Bactrian camels are distinguished by an extremely thick and dense coat with a very well-developed undercoat, ideal for the existence of the animal in rather harsh continental climatic conditions, characterized by hot summers and cold, snowy winters.
It is noteworthy that in the habitats familiar to the animal in winter, the thermometer often drops even below minus 40 degrees, but the Bactrian camel is able to safely and easily endure such severe frosts due to the special structure of its fur. The hairs of the coat have internal cavities, which significantly reduce the thermal conductivity of fur. The fine hairs of the undercoat retain air well.
The average length of Bactrian fur is 50-70 mm, and on the lower part of the cervical region and the tops of the humps there is hair, the length of which often exceeds a quarter of a meter. The longest fur grows in representatives of the species in the autumn, so in winter such animals look quite pubescent. In the spring, Bactrian camels begin to shed, and their fur falls out in clumps. At this time, the animal has an unkempt, sloppy and shabby appearance.
The usual color for the Bactrian camel is brown-sand with varying degrees of intensity. Some individuals have a very dark or completely light, sometimes even reddish color.
Range, habitats
Camels of both species are quite widespread only in desert zones, as well as in dry steppes. Such large animals are absolutely not adapted to too humid climatic conditions or living in mountainous areas. Domesticated camel species are currently common in many areas of Asia and Africa.
Dromedaries are often found in northern Africa, up to one degree south latitude, as well as in the Arabian Peninsula and central Asia. In the nineteenth century, such animals were brought to Australia, where they were quickly able to adapt to unusual climatic conditions. Today, the total number of such animals in Australia is fifty thousand individuals.
This is interesting! Bactrians are quite widespread in regions stretching from Asia Minor to Manchuria. There are currently about nineteen million camels in the world, and approximately fourteen million live in Africa.
Today there are about seven million camels in Somalia, and just over three million camels in Sudan. Wild dromedaries are believed to have gone extinct at the beginning of our era. Their most likely ancestral home was represented by the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, but at present it has not been possible to fully establish whether its ancestors were wild-shaped dromedaries or were a common ancestor with the Bactrian. N.M.
During an Asian expedition, Przhevalsky was the first to discover the existence of two-humped wild camels, the Khaptagai. Their existence was assumed at that time, but was not confirmed, and was therefore disputed.
Populations of wild Bactrians today exist only in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Mongolia. The presence of only three separate populations was noted there, and the total number of animals in them is currently about one thousand individuals. Currently, issues related to the acclimatization of wild Bactrian camels in the conditions of the Yakut Pleistocene park zone are being actively considered.
Camel diet
Camels are typical representatives of ruminants. Both species eat saltwort and wormwood, as well as camel thorn and saxaul. Camels are able to drink even salt water, and all the fluid in the body of such animals is stored inside the cells of the stomach rumen. All representatives of the callosopod suborder tolerate dehydration very well and quite easily. The main source of water for a camel is fat. The oxidation process of one hundred grams of fat produces about 107 g of water and carbon dioxide.
This is interesting! Wild camels are very cautious and mistrustful animals, so they prefer to die from lack of water or food, but never come too close to people.
Even in conditions of prolonged absence of water, camels’ blood does not thicken at all. Such animals, belonging to the suborder callosopods, can survive about two weeks without water and about one month without food. Even despite such simply amazing endurance, at present wild camels, more often than other animals, suffer from a noticeable reduction in the number of watering places. This situation is explained by the active development by people of desert areas with the presence of fresh natural reservoirs.
Origin of the species and description
Bactrian or Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) belongs to the camelid genus. Class: mammals. Order: artiodactyls. The main differences between the Bactrian camel and other representatives of this genus are not only the presence of a second hump, but also the thick coat of hair. Bactrian camels are very hardy animals; they can easily survive summer drought, snow and frost in winter.
Video: Bactrian camel
Camels are very ancient animals; the first images of a camel date back to the 19th century BC. The first finds of biological remains of ancient camels date back to 2500 BC. Camels were domesticated in the 6th-7th millennium BC. Camels are one of the first animals that people began to breed and raise for their needs. People used and still use camels primarily as transport. Camel wool, from which clothing can be made, and milk, camel meat, which is excellent for food, are also considered valuable. The main populations of camels used to live in ancient Asia.
The first description of this species was made in 1878 by researcher N. M. Przhevalsky. Unlike one-humped camels, two-humped camels have been preserved in the wild. Today, Bactrian camels are divided into 2 species: Camelus ferus is a wild camel and Camelus bactrianus is a domestic Bactrian. Recently, the population of this species has been rapidly decreasing, and humans are to blame for this.
Appearance and features
The Bactrian camel is a large animal with a strong and massive body. Camelus bactrianus has a large, rounded body. Long and massive legs that end in a cloven foot on a callus pad. A camel's neck is strong and strong, which bends downward and then bends upward. Wild animals of this species have a thick and dense coat of brown-sand color. However, there are also brown and white (cream) camels. True, light-colored camels are quite rare and are more valuable.
The camel's head is small. The camel has unusual mobile and hard lips, which are adapted to tearing rough desert vegetation and prickly cacti. The upper lip of the animal is slightly forked. The ears are round and small. There are paired glands on the back of the head, which are more developed in males. The camel's eyes are protected from sand and dust by long and thick eyelashes.
Bactrian camels are quite large and massive animals. The height of the male at the withers can reach 230-240 cm. The top of the humps is at a height of 170 centimeters; the height of the humps can vary depending on the internal state of the animal, but usually the size of the humps can reach 0.5 meters in height. The distance between the humps is 30 cm. The weight of an adult male is from 750 kg to 1 ton. Female animals of this species are several times smaller than males, ranging from 400 to 750 kg.
The internal structure of the Bactrian camel is the same as that of all calloused camels. The camel has a three-chamber stomach, in which 3 sections are distinguished (rumen, abomasum and mesh). The cecum of camels is short. The kidneys can absorb water from urine. Camel blood can maintain normal fluidity, even when quite thickened, thanks to the special oval shape of red blood cells that can easily pass through capillaries. Also, red blood cells in a camel’s blood are capable of accumulating liquid, increasing in volume several times.
Interesting fact: A Bactrian camel can go without water for up to a week, which in desert conditions is impossible for more than one animal. But when a camel gets access to water, it can drink up to 100 liters at a time.
The humps of camels contain fat, which is a reserve of nutrients. The humps help insulate the animal. If the fat were evenly distributed throughout the camel's body, it would not allow heat to escape from the body. A camel's humps contain up to 150 kg of fat.
The external structure of the animal allows it to save moisture in the body. A camel's nostrils are always closed; they open only when inhaling or exhaling. This also makes it easier to move, while minimizing the entry of dust into the nostrils. Sweat appears on a camel's body when the camel's body temperature reaches 41°C. Camels are long-lived; on average, a wild camel in good living conditions lives on average up to 40-50 years.
Now you know What is the name of the Bactrian camel?. Let's see where he lives.
Where does the Bactrian camel live?
In the past, camels settled over fairly large areas. Bactrian camels could be found in Asia. In the modern world, the population of Bactrian camels has decreased greatly, and the habitat of the animals has become small. Now these animals live in four small isolated areas in China and Mongolia. In Mongolia, camels can be found in the Gobi. In China, camels live near Lake Lop Nor.
Domestic Bactrian camels can also be found in Asia, Mongolia, Kalmykia,. Several breeds of domestic camels were bred for household use: the Mongolian Bactrian camel, the Kazakh Bactrian, the Kalmyk Bactrian. Animals of these breeds differ in size, coat quality, shape, and the size of their humps.
In the wild, Bactrian camels are constantly on the move. They must constantly migrate in order to find a source of water and food. The harsh conditions of the harsh climate do not allow animals to relax. In herd habitats, animals are tied to bodies of water. During the rainy season, camels live near. However, in the summer, drought sets in, and when the reservoirs become shallow and vegetation becomes scarce, camels go in search of water and food.
In summer, camels can go far into the mountains and rise to a height of up to 3200 m above sea level. In the winter season, animals go south. They can travel 400-700 km. towards the south, where they settle near the foothills and where they will be protected from cold winds. In winter, the main thing for camels is to find food for themselves; unlike horses, camels cannot dig through the snow to look for food underneath. Therefore, autumn migration is necessary for camels to save their lives.
Interesting fact: During migration, an adult camel is able to cover a distance of 90-100 km!
What do Bactrian camels eat?
Bactrian is absolutely harmless.
The main diet of Bactrians consists of:
- shrubs and subshrubs of the Sálsola (Salyanka) plant;
- camel-thorn;
- ephedra (Éphedra);
- young shoots and leaves of Saxaul (Halóxylon);
- barnyard grass, parnofolia.
The structure of the camel's mouth and lips is designed in such a way that these animals can pick and eat hard and prickly plants with large needles without harm to the body. In autumn, camels can feast on poplar leaves, reeds, and onions. In winter, when there is no vegetation and camels need a source of protein, camels can eat animal skins and bones. Wild camels can easily drink salt water from reservoirs. Domestic camels can be more picky and require clean water to drink. In winter, domestic camels can eat hay, oats, buckwheat grass, porridge made from it, and breadcrumbs. In summer, camels look for hard grass.
Bactrians are loved to be kept in agriculture because they are indiscriminate in food and unpretentious in the conditions of their detention. Camels, like many warm-blooded animals, recover greatly by autumn. They store fat in their humps to make it easier to survive the winter. Camels easily survive long periods of fasting. For these animals, sometimes fasting is even better than overfeeding.
Features of character and lifestyle
Wild Bactrian camels have an aggressive and passionate character. They are quite smart and careful. Due to their frequent migration, they are patient and able to travel long distances. Pets are calmer, more often even apathetic, timid and stupid. In nature, camels live in small herds of 7-30 heads. The herd has a developed social structure. There is a leader - this is usually a large dominant male; during the rutting period, the leader is the only adult male in the herd; he protects the females and young animals. During standing, other adult males can also join the herd; they must obey the will of the leader.
Due to the fact that the bulk of the herd consists of young animals and females, the majority of the herd lives peacefully. The main battles occur between males, for the right to be the leader, and for the female. Male camels are extremely dangerous during the rut, both for humans and other animals. Quite often, adult males can live and migrate alone. Females always gather in herds to protect their offspring. Camels are active during the day. At night, camels sleep or chew cud. In bad weather, camels take refuge in caves, ravines, and at the foot of the mountains. During a sandstorm or hurricane, a camel can lie motionless for several days.
These animals can easily endure the summer heat and heat; camels walk calmly, while fanning themselves with their tail. During migration they cover long distances. In summer, representatives of this species go in search of lush greenery and water in the mountains, in winter they head towards the south.
Interesting fact: Despite the fact that camels live mainly in the desert, these animals can swim well. They are not afraid of water and can swim across bodies of water.
Social structure and reproduction
Camels, both male and female, reach maturity by 3-5 years. The mating season for camels falls in autumn. At this time, animals feel good, and females have the resources to bear healthy offspring. During the rut, males are especially aggressive. Skirmishes constantly occur between males, and sometimes males may try to mate with other males. The males begin to rush around madly, attack others, and make loud noises.
The leaders of the herd herd the females into one place and do not allow them to disperse. During the rut, males are extremely dangerous. They can attack both humans and other animals. During the rut, both males and females mark their territory with urine; for the same purposes, males also use the occipital glands, touching stones with their heads. During mating games, the female lets the male know that she is ready to mate by lying down in front of him and bending all four legs.
Camels mate while lying down. During mating, males grind their teeth and foam at the mouth. Pregnancy in a female camel lasts 13 months. A baby camel is born weighing from 30 to 45 kilograms. Newborn camel calves immediately stand well on their feet, and almost immediately after birth they can follow their mother. Camel calves have the rudiments of humps, which do not yet contain fat reserves, however, in the second month of life, the humps rise.
The female feeds the cubs up to 1.5 years. Of these, up to 4 months, the baby camel’s diet consists exclusively of mother’s milk, after which the cubs begin to get used to plant foods, grass, and shrubs. A female can give birth several times a year, and there are cases where a female feeds several of her older and younger cubs at the same time. Females protect their offspring, protecting their own and others’ cubs from other animals.
Natural enemies of Bactrian camels
In the past, the main enemy of camels was. Tigers lived in the Lob Nor region, and camels used to live there as well. Tigers are very cunning and dangerous predators; they are not afraid of the fact that a camel is much larger than it. Tigers chase their prey for a long time and attack in situations where the camel is completely unarmed. Most often, young animals and weakened females become victims of predators.
- mites;
- tapeworms and annelids;
- nemitod worms;
- various helminths.
Camels are also susceptible to diseases such as:
- tetanus;
- tuberculosis.
Mycoses can form from moisture and dampness with reduced immunity. This is a fungal infection of the skin that greatly harms animals. The last enemy of camels, but the most dangerous, is man. Recently, hunting of Bactrian camels has been prohibited, but in the past camels were often killed for the animal's skin, fur, and meat. Because of this, the population of this species has decreased significantly.
Population and species status
Wild Bactrian camels have been considered very rare animals since the beginning of the 20th century. At the moment, the population of Bactrian camels is on the verge of extinction. There are only a few hundred of these animals left in the entire world. According to some sources, about 300, according to other sources, about 900 individuals. The species Camelus bactrianus is listed as a critically endangered species. Hunting camels has been prohibited for many years, however, poachers still kill the animals. Every year, up to 30 camels are killed by poachers. Most often, poachers waylay animals during migration.
In addition, enormous damage to the population of this species was caused during nuclear tests carried out by China. China's ecology is in a deplorable state, and after these tests, the land and water bodies will be dangerous for many years to come. Nuclear waste pollutes soil and water. And not only camels, but also many other animals die from poisoning and exposure to radiation. Camels were also greatly harmed by the development of gold mining sites and the construction of factories in Mongolia and China.
Interesting fact: An adult camel is so hardy that it can survive even severe dehydration. For an ordinary animal, losing 20% of the water contained in the body is certain death; a camel survives even after losing up to 40% of the fluid.
Camels are leaving their usual habitats because people have come there. Camels are also poisoned by potassium cyanide, which enters the environment during gold processing.
Bactrian camel conservation
Bactrian camels are protected by the states of China and Mongolia. Hunting animals is prohibited by law in both countries. In addition, the Artszinshal Nature Reserve was founded in China, and around Lake Lob Nor, where Bactrian camels live, a reserve of the same name was founded, which borders on the Artszinshal Nature Reserve. The Gobi-A nature reserve has been established in Mongolia. Also in this country there is a special center for breeding this species in captivity. The animals live there in enclosures and reproduce well. A special program is currently being developed to place animals bred in captivity in the wild.
Wild Bactrian camels can be found in the Moscow Zoo, where the animals are kept in good conditions and bear offspring. The task of all people on our planet is to take care of the environment. It is in our hands to ensure that the population of Bactrian camels, and many other animal species, is preserved. It is enough to simply treat nature more carefully, install treatment facilities at enterprises, not cut down forests, and improve nature reserves and parks. Let's take care of our planet together so that future generations can see the animals that now inhabit our planet.
Bactrian camel a truly amazing animal, adapted to even the harshest environmental conditions. But even such strong and strong animals found themselves on the verge of extinction due to the unreasonable actions of humans. Let's take care of nature and try to preserve the population of Bactrian camels.
Today it is not so easy to find a wild camel in nature - the habitat of the wild subspecies is shrinking from year to year. However, secondarily wild domesticated animals are found everywhere in Asia, Africa, China and Russia, and even in Australia.
Habitat
In the recent past, dromedaries inhabited the desert areas of the Middle East and North African countries. Today, this vast territory is home to herds of domesticated or re-wilded animals. The genetically wild subtype of the dromedary camel has become completely extinct. Animals prefer to live in desert or semi-desert areas. Dromedaries have adapted well to harsh living conditions - their physiological characteristics allow them to go for long periods without food and water. They are capable of losing up to 40% of all body fluid without harm to their health, and at a watering hole they drink up to one hundred liters of water in just a few minutes.
The animal tolerates heat well, and sweat begins to appear only at temperatures above +40 degrees.
Domestication
To this day, scientists debate exactly when the domestication of the dromedary camel began. Presumably this happened about 5 thousand years ago. The first domesticated individuals appeared on the territory of the modern Arabian Peninsula, then spread to the African continent. Today, domestic dromedary camels can be found in parts of India, Turkestan, the Canary Islands, as well as throughout the Middle Eastern countries and throughout North Africa. At the beginning of the last century, dromedaries were brought to Australia, where they not only took root well, but also began to actively reproduce. At the moment, the camel population on this remote continent is more than one hundred thousand individuals.
Use and appearance
Dromedaries are actively used as pack animals, capable of carrying up to one hundred and fifty kg of weight. They provide local residents with valuable meat, milk, wool, and leather. Animals are also used as riding animals - for long hikes, in tourism, and special racing and racing camels are bred and take part in races in the Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and some other countries.
The most common breeds of dromedary camel:
- North African Maharis,
- Rajputana riding,
- Turkmen pack,
- Light riding,
- Arvana (the only breed bred in Russia, has meat, wool and dairy types).
Dromedaries are distinguished by one hump on the back and smaller sizes. The height of the male is up to 230 cm with a body length of up to three meters. Body weight is no more than 750 kg. The animal has slender long legs and a lean physique. The color of dromedaries is light yellow, ash yellow, light brown, less often smoky and ashy. The head is small, the eyes are expressive, with long eyelashes.
Bactrian camels
Habitat
In the recent past, Bactrian lived in a very large territory of Central Asia, in the deserts of China and Mongolia, in the vastness of modern Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Today, the habitat of the genetically wild camel subspecies is not so extensive and there is a greater chance of meeting a domesticated or wild one. Wild camels live in the Trans-Altai Gobi, Mongolia, in China - the Lop Nor Lake region and in the Taklamakan Desert.
Wild Bactrians in nature lead a nomadic lifestyle, preferring desert places, spacious plains, and foothill areas for living.
Camel families stay close to watering holes, although they can travel up to 100 km a day in search of a source of water. You can often find Bactrians in mountainous areas at an altitude of up to three thousand meters.
Domestication
Bactrians are important animals for many peoples of Central and Central Asia, Kazakhstan, China and Russia. Mention of the first domesticated individuals dates back to the third millennium BC. Today the population of Bactrian camels exceeds two million individuals.
On the territory of Russia, the animal can be found in Kalmykia, Volgograd and Rostov regions, Astrakhan, Chelyabinsk.
Use and appearance
The Bactrian camel, unlike its one-humped counterpart, has perfectly adapted to life in a harsh climate with large annual temperature changes. They can withstand frosts of -40 and hot summer days of +40 degrees equally well. Only damp air is harmful to them. For many nomadic peoples, Bactrian is a source of meat, milk, manure for home heating, skins and fur. Camel wool is highly valued for its fineness, warmth, and durability. From one adult animal, up to 13 kg of wool with fluff is cut. Not only kumys is made from milk, but also butter and cheese, cottage cheese, and ice cream. Animals are used both for transporting goods and as mounts.
The appearance of the Bactrian is more than recognizable - the animal’s back is decorated with two humps, a long neck, a slightly hook-nosed head, large and intelligent eyes framed by long and thick eyelashes. The animal's legs are long and strong. The length of the coat in the winter months can reach 30 cm, and in the summer - up to 8 cm. The Bactrian is distinguished by its large size - only at the withers its height is about 200 cm, and together with the humps - more than 270 cm.
Bactrian breeds reflect where the camel lives. So the Kazakh breed is found and bred mainly in Kazakhstan. The Kalmyk breed, the largest of all known, was bred and cultivated in Kalmykia and in the Volgograd and Rostov regions. The Mongolian camel breed was developed in Mongolia. It is found both in its homeland and in some areas of China, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
A very large number of people, in the summer, are going to take a vacation and go abroad. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a huge number of holiday options - from seaside resorts in Greece to beautiful views of the streets of Paris. But if suddenly you are drawn to the exotic and you decide to go to Asia for a vacation, there is a very high probability that during your trip you will encounter an amazing animal - the Bactrian camel, which is also called the Mongolian camel.
What kind of animal is that
Characteristics:
- These mammals are tall and heavy.
- Their survival abilities are mind-blowing.
- Domestic camels are quite apathetic and not very active.
As you can understand, the Bactrian camel is not a very accurate name. You may ask, what is the correct name for a Bactrian camel? Bactrian - as more educated people call them, is observed in areas with a very dry climate due to the characteristics of its physiology. So, he lasts a huge amount of time without water and food, but without experiencing much discomfort.
But also, extremely high or low temperatures are not a problem for him. Thick fur protects representatives of this species in the cold winter. Because of these features, they can most often be found in the semi-desert regions of central and central Asia, Mongolia, and in smaller numbers in the neighboring territories of Russia and China. The Bactrian camel is one of the most frequent guests in animal circuses, which is why it can be seen not only in Asia, but also in the CIS countries of the region.
Characteristic
The Bactrian camel is quite tall. At the withers, its height exceeds that of a human and in some cases reaches 230 centimeters, although most often their height remains about two meters. Many people who saw a Mongolian camel in the circus could not help but notice the visual grandeur of this animal, and wondered how much a camel weighs. We have the answer to this question! Representatives of different sexes do not weigh the same.
So, an adult male can weigh from 500 kilograms, but there are often cases when there were individuals weighing about 800 kilograms. Female Mongolian animals weigh significantly less, and their weight range is 320–450 kilograms. However, knowing all this, the question arises: at what age can an individual be considered an adult?
At the age of 7, they stop growing, and their total life expectancy is on average about 20 years, but there were representatives who lived up to 50. Their beautiful fur comes in different colors depending on the breed. There are a large number of color variations, but the most valuable are considered cream-colored Bactrian camels. The most common colors are brown, gray or almost black and pure white.
Bactrian camels have a number of physiological characteristics that significantly increase their survival rate. Thus, these are the only mammals that have the ability to lose 40 percent of water from the body and still remain alive. When severely dehydrated, Bactrian camels change their appearance significantly, but if they have access to water, the changes can be seen before our eyes. So, within an hour after drinking water he will look completely healthy.
The Bactrian camel is undoubtedly herd animal. They usually form a herd of up to twenty individuals. Most of all, females and young animals can be found in herds, since with age they can begin to travel independently, this leads to the fact that camels can often be found walking around completely alone.
Although the survival rate of camels allows them go without water for a long time, their habitat forces them to gather near bodies of water, since they are not so often found in desert or rocky areas. camels in winter they drink water just like snow. Bactrian camels active during the day. At night they can be active, but in very rare cases, and to say that their activity is insignificant is to say nothing.
Domestic individuals have such a calm character that from the outside it looks like complete apathy.
Nutrition
The Bactrian camel is a herbivore, and its biological need for survival leads it to feed on even the most inedible plants for other herbivores. And also, their survival has led to the fact that if they eat a lot of food, it affects their health worse than prolonged fasting.
Reproduction
Bactrian camels have Possibility of reproduction as early as 5 years, although this age can come either later or much earlier. Pregnancy in females lasts approximately 12 months.
Bottom line
If you want to take part in exotic trips to the countries of central or Central Asia, then it is quite logical to assume that you will meet these animals. The main things you need to remember:
- Camels can go without water for a long time.
- These mammals are not very picky eaters.
- You can use them as transport.
- Not aggressive and quite apathetic.
Knowing all this, you will be ready to get up close and personal with these creatures.
One of the amazing animals on our earth is the camel. He is curious not only with his appearance, but also with his way of life. Therefore, many are interested in learning the name of the Bactrian camel and interesting facts associated with it.
What is it called
First, you should know that this animal can be domestic or wild. Mongolia is considered the birthplace of Bactrian camels. There this wild animal is known as "haptagai". The domestic Bactrian camel is called a Bactrian. The animal received this name in honor of the ancient region of Bactiria, which was located in This species is the largest of the camelid family.
Species distribution
Many people do not know the name of the Bactrian camel, but this is not surprising, since in our area you can only meet this exotic animal in a zoo. But in Central Asia and Mongolia it is a common pet. It is also bred in some in China. Worldwide, the number of Bactrians exceeds two million. But the wild representative of this family is very much in danger of extinction. According to some reports, the haptagai ranks eighth on the list of endangered mammals. In total, their number varies within about several hundred heads. Mostly haptagai can be found in some parts of Mongolia and China.
Relationship with a person
The Bactrian camel (name - Bactrian) plays a huge role in the life of Asian people. For the population that lives in desert districts, this animal is a necessary means of transportation. They also shear camels to make woolen items such as rugs, blankets, felt boots, capes, clothes and more. But the skin, meat and milk of the animal are also used. In addition, the dung of the Bactrian camel is also valuable, since it produces good fuel.
Appearance
This animal is so unusual that it cannot be confused with other mammals. The Bactrian or Bactrian camel, the photo of which is shown below, is quite large and weighs on average 500 kilograms. But heavier individuals are often found. If you measure the animal by the withers, it will exceed two meters, and if you take the height along with the humps, it can reach 2.7 m.
The animal has a long bent neck and lanky legs. Instead of hooves there is a cloven foot and wide calloused pads. In addition, on each leg there are processes that resemble a claw.
Also, the Bactrian camel, whose name is Bactrian, can have a different color from almost white to brown. The wool is quite thick and long, and is hollow inside to provide poor thermal conductivity. They also have an undercoat. Camels molt in summer, changing their coats. The old fur falls out quickly, and the animal can remain “naked” for a couple of weeks until a new coat grows.
animal hump
The humps are of greatest interest. They can be of various shapes, which often depend on the condition of the camel. For example, if an animal is hungry, the humps may hang down; in an animal that has eaten, they are restored and rise again. This is explained by the fact that these “bags” contain fat (a total of about 150 kg), which is the body’s nutrition reserve. These growths also serve as thermal insulators for the animal. In addition, the Bactrian Bactrian camel is a convenient transport, since the distance between its “bags” is approximately 30 centimeters, this is enough for an adult to fit there.
Features of camels
This animal has special physiological characteristics that allow it to survive in adverse conditions. For example, a camel can suffer severe dehydration, while other animals die in such circumstances. With a strong loss of moisture in the body, this mammal noticeably loses weight, but when it has the opportunity to drink, its weight is restored almost immediately. In addition, the camel is able to accumulate and retain liquid until a certain point.
Lifestyle
This animal is diurnal and prefers to rest at night. Their main enemies are wolves and tigers. The Bactrian camel (name - Bactrian) lives according to the “schedule” set by the owner of the animal. But wild individuals keep in herds of up to 20 heads and obey the dominant male. Basically, in this family there are only females and young animals.
Rutting period
At the age of two, females are ready to have offspring. Male camels become sexually mature by age five. In autumn the rutting season begins. Often at this time, owners put males on a leash, since they become dangerous to surrounding animals and humans. They attack their opponents, rush about, roar and foam. If the male is dominant, he keeps the females in one place, not allowing them to disperse. Camels often engage in fights during this period. Even calm animals become ferocious during the mating season. They use their powerful neck, trying to pin the opponent to the ground, use their fangs, grabbing the legs and throat, and kick the enemy. In this case, if the owner does not disperse the camels, serious injuries and even death are possible for the weak male.
During the rutting period, haptagai can become dangerous to their domestic counterparts. They are able to break into the pen, kill the males and take away the females. Therefore, these days, shepherds take their animals to the mountains away from danger.
After mating, the female bears the offspring for 13 months. Only one baby camel is born, weighing no more than 45 kilos. Within two hours after birth, the baby is able to independently follow his mother. Lactation is long, about a year and a half. But a baby camel can chew already in the third month. The female is capable of giving birth once in two years. At the age of 4 years, male camels gather in groups, and over time, each of them organizes his own “harem”.
Amazing details
One of the most unusual mammals, of course, is the Bactrian camel. Interesting facts about this animal are no less fascinating:
- One individual is capable of drinking 200 liters of water at a time.
- If the animal decides to rest or sleep, it cannot be forced to get up. It will only get up when it wants to.
- These herbivores can eat hard thorns without scratching their lips and mouth.
- The camel's nostrils are able to close when necessary (for example, to keep moisture out or during sandstorms to prevent sand from getting inside).
- If a hurricane begins in its territory of residence, the camel can remain in a lying, motionless state for several days.
- Each leg of the animal is capable of kicking in four directions.
- They can do without water if they eat green plants (camels get moisture from them).
- One of the defensive abilities is spitting. If you provoke a camel, it will draw an unpleasant mixture from its stomach, which it will “reward” the enemy with.
- The fur of this animal has the ability to reflect rays, which allows it not to overheat while moving through the desert.
- The name of the Bactrian camel “haptagai” appeared thanks to the local residents.
- Camel excrement is very dry, so it is used for heating. They give an even, almost smokeless warm flame.
- They have an excellent memory, which helps them not to get lost among the many dunes.
- Camels have keen eyesight. The animal sees movement in the desert a kilometer away.
- The camel's sense of smell allows it to survive, as it can smell water sixty kilometers away.
- In bad weather, the animal tries to hide. If it is too hot outside, camels begin to walk against the wind, opening their mouths, to cool down a little and avoid overheating. They also use their tail for fanning.
- Although special vehicles and navigators have been invented for moving through the desert, the most reliable assistant is still the Bactrian camel, whose name is Bactrian.
- People use the fat that is in the “bags” of the animal for food. It is suitable for frying and is valued higher than beef.
- Camels do not tolerate dampness very well.
- They are very susceptible to disease.
- A wild camel can even be content with salt water; a domestic camel is not adapted to this.
- They can live up to 50 years.
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