Camel Essay
Shuyub & Salma
Per.1 (12/5/14)
Camel Essay
Camels are native to the deserts of Asia and North Africa. Two kinds of desert camels are dromedaries and Bactrian’s. Dromedaries have one hump and are best adapted for hot deserts. Bactrian camels, which have two humps, have adaptations for living in a cold desert. Most camels are domesticated, meaning they have been tamed so they can be used by humans. But a few Bactrian camels live in the wild in the remote grasslands of Mongolia, and some dromedaries that were taken to Australia now live wild in the outback. Domestic dromedaries are found mainly in the hot deserts of North Africa and Asia. Bactrian camels are mainly found in the cold, rocky Gobi desert in Asia.
Camels are the only animals that can carry heavy loads from place to place in the desert because they can go for long periods without eating or drinking water. A camel's hump doesn't carry water, as some believe. Instead the hump is filled with fat, which is a built-in food supply. This fat provides energy and water for the animal when food and water are scarce. When the fat is used up, the hump slumps over, but with rest and food the hump fills with fat and stands upright again.
Camels can go for weeks without a drink because they get some moisture from the food they eat and have stored as fat, and because their bodies have ways to prevent water loss. One physical adaptation a camel has for keeping water inside its body is a cavity in the camel's head. Dry air that the camel breathes in mixes with moisture in the cavity before moving through the camel's body, and moisture from the camel's breath is left in the cavity when the camel exhales. When thirsty camels do drink, they can gulp down large amounts. Some drink as much as 35 gallons (140 liters) of water at a time. Camels like clean water and may even turn down dirty water. So camels often get the first clean water drawn from a well while the thirsty people wait until the camels are finished before they
Per.1 (12/5/14)
Camel Essay
Camels are native to the deserts of Asia and North Africa. Two kinds of desert camels are dromedaries and Bactrian’s. Dromedaries have one hump and are best adapted for hot deserts. Bactrian camels, which have two humps, have adaptations for living in a cold desert. Most camels are domesticated, meaning they have been tamed so they can be used by humans. But a few Bactrian camels live in the wild in the remote grasslands of Mongolia, and some dromedaries that were taken to Australia now live wild in the outback. Domestic dromedaries are found mainly in the hot deserts of North Africa and Asia. Bactrian camels are mainly found in the cold, rocky Gobi desert in Asia.
Camels are the only animals that can carry heavy loads from place to place in the desert because they can go for long periods without eating or drinking water. A camel's hump doesn't carry water, as some believe. Instead the hump is filled with fat, which is a built-in food supply. This fat provides energy and water for the animal when food and water are scarce. When the fat is used up, the hump slumps over, but with rest and food the hump fills with fat and stands upright again.
Camels can go for weeks without a drink because they get some moisture from the food they eat and have stored as fat, and because their bodies have ways to prevent water loss. One physical adaptation a camel has for keeping water inside its body is a cavity in the camel's head. Dry air that the camel breathes in mixes with moisture in the cavity before moving through the camel's body, and moisture from the camel's breath is left in the cavity when the camel exhales. When thirsty camels do drink, they can gulp down large amounts. Some drink as much as 35 gallons (140 liters) of water at a time. Camels like clean water and may even turn down dirty water. So camels often get the first clean water drawn from a well while the thirsty people wait until the camels are finished before they