Camels are part of the camelid family, which includes llamas and alpacas, which explains the overall sweet nature of the camel. When raised with humans, camels are known for being friendly and playful, but be careful playing with a camel! Unlike the horse or the cow, all four of the camel’s legs can kick in a full circle, meaning there is no safe space within a leg’s reach around them once they start getting silly!

Types of Camels and Where They Are Found

There are three main species of camel: The dromedary, which has one hump; the Bactrian, which has two humps; and the wild Bactrian camel (also with two humps). The dromedary camel makes up 94% of the world’s camel population, and the Bactrian makes up 6%. The wild Bactrian camel is so rare that it is critically endangered, with fewer than an estimated 1,000 members remaining in China and Mongolia. Although camels, prior to domestication, were found only in Asia and North Africa (known as the “Old World”), it is apparent from their relation to camelids found in Central and South America (the “New World”) that this family of animals originally developed in North America, although the largest of these migrated across the Bering land bridge into Asia roughly 6 million years ago. Today, all camels are domesticated, except for the wild Bactrian, and a large number of feral dromedary camels roaming the Australian outback, surprisingly!

What Makes These Camels Different?

Besides the humps, the Bactrian differs from the dromedary camel in its size, coat, and natural habitat. While the male dromedary camel reaches heights between 5.11 and 7.10 feet, the Bactrian can be up to a foot taller. However, male dromedary camels tend to weigh between 880 and 1,520 pounds and the Bactrian male can weigh up to 2,200 pounds. While there are also subtle differences between the wild Bactrian camel and the Bactrian camel, what they share is the acclimation to extreme temperatures and landscapes throughout their migratory patterns. They survive in both harsh deserts and frigidly cold mountains, withstanding temperatures as low as -22°F in the winter and as high as 122°F in the summer. For this reason, the Bactrian grows a heavy, shaggy coat in the winter that sheds off in the summer to reveal a short undercoat for hotter climates. Dromedary camels, on the other hand, are native to hot, arid places such as the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula. Their coat remains short and light to withstand the blistering heat of their natural habitat. It’s because of this adaptation to the intense heat that more than 2,000 camels were shipped from Asia to Australia during the 19^th century. These animals were perfect for transportation across the unforgiving outback, but the introduction of motorized vehicles in the 20^th century left them redundant. They were then released into the wild, where they still thrive to this day.

How Do Camels Store Water?

Regardless of the differences in habitat, what the two types of camels share is their ability to survive on little food and water. Although many believe camels store water in their humps, this is a misconception. The camel’s humps are made up of fat, which is stored from the food they eat, allowing them to live on less during hard times. However, camels do store water – they do so in their red blood cells. In almost every other mammal, including humans, the red blood cell is circular and does store water. The camel’s red blood cell is oval, allowing it to store more water in each cell as well as preventing the blood cells from bursting when the camel drinks its fill. While camels can survive 10 days without water (and lose up to 30% of their body mass due to dehydration without succumbing), they can also drink more than 50 gallons of water in under three minutes.

Who Are the Babby Farms Camels?

At Babby Farms, the three camels residing are Larry, a dromedary, and Mo and Curly, who are both Bactrian. They love playing with large exercise balls and eating grain. They only spit when you really annoy them! Otherwise, they are very sweet and loving. Come visit our Babby Farms camels today!