Bactrian Camel
Camelus bactrianusClass: Mammalia Order: Cetartiodactyla Family: Camelidae
Size
Height: 7 ft at the hump
Weight: 1800 lbs
Diet
Bactrian camels are primarily herbivorous and graze on grasses and desert vegitation. If no vegetation is available, they have been known ro consume meat and bones.
Lifespan
Up to 50 years
Habitat & Range
Dry, rocky deserts and grasslands of central and east Asia.
Interesting Facts
- Camels can drink 25 gallons of water at a time, however they can go for long periods of time without drinking at all. They also get some moisture from the food they eat.
- Bactrian camels have two humps. Fat is stored in the humps to provide them with nourishment during times when food is scarce.
- These camels are native to a habitat that is extremely hot in the summer and bitterly cold during the winter, so they have many adaptations to allow them to survive in such a harsh environment. During the winter they grow a thick shaggy coat of hair which is shed when summer arrives. They also have wide hooved feet that act like snowshoes when they walk over sand or snow.
Conservation Status
Critically Endangered
Threats
While there are many domestic Bactrian camels, very few remain in the wild. The few wild camels left live in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China. They are threatened by hunting, habitat loss, reduced or degraded water locations, and increased predation.
