All information about the camel

What does a camel look like?

The biggest feature of the camel is the two humps on its back. These contain fat. This ensures that it does not need food for a long time. The camel has no hooves, but callous pads under its legs. This protects it from the hot sand. Camels are census takers. This means that while walking, two legs on one side are always lifted, while the two legs on the other side remain standing. Camels can reach a length of 2.25 to 3.45 meters and a shoulder height of 1.80 to 2.30 meters. They are widely used as riding and pack animals by people traveling through the desert. They are therefore called the ship of the desert.

What is a camel?

What is a camel? What do camels eat? Where are they found? And how come camels could even be seen at night in the Safari Park? Ranger Stijn takes you to the camels and explains it all!

Is the camel endangered?

Camels living in the wild are under serious threat. This makes the wild camel a rare species. The number of animals in the wild is estimated to be 950 and declining. This is due to hunting of the species and the shrinking of its habitat.

Conservation

Not only camels, but many of the species you see in our park are endangered and struggling in their original habitats. Did you know that worldwide more than 4,000 animal species threatened with extinction are endangered? Together we can help them, with big, or small steps. Want to know how? Then click here.

Where does the camel live?

Camels are found in Central Asia and western China. The camel lives mainly in the Gobi Desert. The temperature in the Gobi Desert can fluctuate between -40 and +40 degrees Celsius. The camel is one of the largest mammals that can survive in the desert. This is partly because of its fur. A camel's fur ensures that it is designed to withstand extreme cold and extreme heat. Camels are also well protected from sandstorms in the desert. This is because their ears are small and they have a membrane over their eye. Together with their long eyelashes, that membrane keeps sand out of the eyes. In addition, the camel can close its nostrils. This also provides additional protection from blowing up sand. A camel can also allow its body temperature to fluctuate. For example, its body temperature can rise to forty degrees Celsius before it begins to sweat once!

Reproduction of the camel

During the reproductive season, males can become aggressive. There is drooling, they urinate a lot and secrete a substance from the glands on the back of the head. The males fight over the females, sometimes resulting in deaths. A female gives birth to an average of one young. The mating season is from February to March and the gestation period is about thirteen months.

A camel foal

After a gestation period of thirteen months, a young is born. The young of a camel is called a foal. The name calf is also sometimes used, in this case both names are correct. The foal weighs about 37 pounds and can stand on its own two hours after birth. The foal drinks with its mother for about twenty months, but after two months it also begins to eat solid food. When they reach an age of five years, they are fully mature. Then they are put out of the herd and are independent.

Species of camels

There is one species of camel. It belongs to the family of camelids. The family of camelids is called Camelidae. To this family belong:

• Camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus)

• Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius)

• Alpaca (Vicugna pacos)

• Llama (Lama glama)

• Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)

• Guanaco (Lama guanicoe)

What is the difference between the dromedary and the camel?

The dromedary and the camel are very similar, but there are some differences between the two species! The biggest difference is the number of humps on its back. The dromedary has one hump on its back and the camel has two humps. In addition, a camel has longer hair, shorter legs and is fatter than the dromedary. They also each come from a different habitat. The camel comes from Central Asia and the dromedary comes from the Middle East.

What is in a camel's humps?

It is often thought that the humps store water, but this is not the case. In fact, a camel's humps store fat. This means that the camel can survive days without water and food. They simply carry their own picnic bags with them. Very handy for a life in the desert!

The ship of the desert

The camel is also called the "ship" of the desert. This is because they are often used as riding and pack animals to transport people and goods in the desert. The animals are also kept for their wool, milk and meat.

How fast is a camel?

Camels can reach a maximum speed of 16.2 miles per hour. Camels spend most of their time walking from one place to another in search of food.

What does a camel eat?

Camels often live in deserts and there the food supply is very limited. They survive with the fat stored in their humps. They can also go a long time without water because they sweat a lot less than other mammals. The camel eats mostly grass, shrubs and leaves. They also eat almost all types of dry plants. When a camel has gone for days without water, it can drink more than 100 liters of water in a few minutes!

What kind of sound does a camel make?

A camel makes a kind of roaring sound. It actually sounds like someone making a very loud burp....

Is a camel dangerous?

Initially, a camel is not dangerous. It is a herbivore and not a predator. Still, the camel can kick hard. It can kick backward, forward and sideways. Camels can also bite very hard! During mating season, males are aggressive.

Behavior of a camel

Camels often live in groups of six to 20 females, their young and one dominant adult male. They spend time on the plains grazing. In the desert, groups of camels travel in a caravan. They then walk at a constant speed. To maintain this pace, they walk in a special way: they move two legs on the same side of the body, while on the other side the legs remain on the ground. This is called a counting gait.