 Camel, Remnant of the family Camelidae . these are to genera, the true camel is and the South American genus Lama, which includes the wild guanaco and vicuna and the domesticated alpaca and Llama . The two species of camel are the single humped Arabian camel or dromedary , a domesticated animal used in the Arabia and North Africa, and the Bactrian two humped camel of Central Asia. Some wild bactrian camels exist in Turkistan and Mongolia .
The humps are used for storage place for fat. Camels range in color from dirty white to dark brown and have a long necks, small ears, tough skinned lips, and a powerful teeth, some of which are shapely pointed. The camel uses the mouth in fighting. Adaptations to desert life include broad, flat , thick-soled cloven hoofs which do not sink in the sand; the ability to go without drinking for several days or longer if choosy plants are available; and valvular nostrils lined with hairs for protection against flying sand., knees , and thigh joints against injury from hard surfaces on which the camel sleeps. Strong usually carry from 500 to 600 lbs. and cover about 30 mi. a day. Some Bactrian camels can transport 1,000 lbs. Geologic findings indicate that the camel originated in and North America, and that both became extinct in North America probably after the glacial period . |
