Camels rarely make the news because they're one of the mammals that enjoys being around people, and you can even observe them in zoos. They're so resilient; they could probably survive a post-cockroach apocalypse. When walking through a sandstorm, camels can close their nostrils and wait for the storm to pass, then carry on as if nothing happened. However, it's not all roses for camels. In March 2023, a camel killed two zookeepers at a Tennessee petting zoo, causing panic among zoos across the US, where many keepers are undergoing retraining in handling these seemingly docile animals. Here are 10 things about camels that will surprise you.
They can bite your head off
Camels rarely become aggressive, but when they feel threatened or are under stress, they can become very aggressive. It's best to stay as far away from an aggressive camel as possible. When angry, a camel will lunge at you, and one kick can easily break your jaw or fracture your skull. Camels are also capable of biting, and when their mouth is fully open, an adult human's head can fit inside. In 2016, a camel bit off its owner's head in Rajasthan, India, after leaving the poor animal tied up in the desert heat all day. .
An enraged camel could become a public safety nightmare.
When sheriff's deputies arrived at the Tennessee Petting Zoo, they found the aggressive camel still attacking the bodies of unconscious zookeepers. It is believed the zoo lacked sufficient water for the animals, which may have triggered the aggression. Police were forced to kill the animal because it was following them and seemed undeterred by the number of people present. This would also prevent zookeepers from receiving medical attention. .
They can go two weeks without food and water.
Camels are very good at maintaining their food reserves, which is why they can go so long without food or water. They can gather food from thorny bushes and even the smallest grass on the ground. Camels also gulp a lot of water in a short time, and once they are well fed, their bodies slowly use up the food. They store their food reserves as fat in their humps, so when food is scarce, you simply notice the hump shrinking and finally falling to one side of their back, but the camel keeps going.
Wild camels exist, but are endangered.
There are three species of camels, called dromedaries, which make up 90% of all camels in the world. They have a single hump and are generally taller and less hairy. Another species is the Bactrian camel, also called the Asian camel because most of them originate from China and Mongolia. There are also wild Bactrian camels, which also roam parts of China and Mongolia, but fewer than 1,000 remain in the wild due to their habitat shrinking over the years. All camels, including wild ones, pose no danger to humans unless their lives are truly threatened.
They can drink 200 liters of water in 3 minutes.
Camels have large mouths with lips that can fold back, allowing them to drink even the smallest puddles of water. Another thing they do so well is drink quickly, and they do it with style. When really thirsty, camels can quickly down up to 53 gallons (200 liters) of water in 10 minutes. For comparison, the average family car's fuel tank holds between 45 and 65 liters. So, a single drink for a camel could fill four full tanks, with some left over. It's no wonder they can go two weeks without a drink.
They do not store water in their humps.
It's a common myth that camels store water in their humps and draw it out when thirsty, but this isn't true; their humps are used to store fat and are considered a delicacy. Camels don't have much fat in the rest of their bodies because that would cause their bodies to heat up quickly when the desert heats up. Therefore, they store their fat reserves in one place, the humps, reducing the heat load on other parts of the body. A typical camel hump can carry up to 36 kg of fat, and it's always ready to be used when the camel is thirsty or hungry, so the humps quickly dissolve and fall to the side when food becomes scarce.
Camels prefer to live in herds, and a herd of up to 30 animals will live harmoniously, at least until one female wants to mate and there are many males in the herd. Animals typically follow one dominant male or female, so as long as you have the right leader in front, everyone will fall in line. Camels also communicate with growls and meows, and they have different sounds for different situations. The relationship between mother and baby is close and fascinating to observe.
Their milk is healthier than cow's milk.
Camels are a source of livelihood for millions of people in the communities where they are raised. Camel meat contains significantly more protein and vitamin E than cow meat. It also contains a fair amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The milk is the most remarkable, containing twice as much vitamin C as cow's milk. Camels rarely produce as much milk as cows, so unless you have a herd, you'll be stuck.
They can live up to 50 years.
To maintain a large herd of camels, farmers must be patient, as camels grow slowly and don't begin to reproduce until they are four or five years old. A camel's gestation period is 14 months, so a camel can only have one calf in two years, so calves are jealously guarded. However, camels rarely get sick, and as long as they have food and proper care, they will live for up to fifty years, making them a true treasure.
They were domesticated over 3,000 years ago.
Camels may not be man's best friend, but they have been man's best ship for thousands of years, which is why they are called "ships of the desert." It's unclear exactly when the first animals were domesticated, but there is early evidence of domestication in the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to 930 BCE.
Do you know any other interesting facts about camels? Let us know in the comments below.