Why Baby Camels Are Born Without Humps

The desert might be the most unwelcoming place on the planet, but one animal is built to handle its inhospitable conditions: the camel. Comprised of three extant species, Camelus dromedarius, Camelus bactrianus, and Camelus ferus, camels are an even-toed ungulate in the Camelidae family (which includes llamas and alpacas). The fossil record suggests they originated in North America. Over millions of years, however, camels have developed amazing adaptations to help them survive and even thrive in desert environments.

Everyone knows about camel humps, but there’s more to these creatures than meets the eye. They store water in their blood, spit stomach contents when threatened, and produce milk that’s far more nutritious than cows. In honor of World Camel Day, let’s learn some amazing facts about these remarkable survivors.

Growing into Humps

While camels are easily recognizable by their humps, they aren’t born with them. After a 12-14-month gestation period, a newborn baby camel is born with a flattish back. They do, however, have small peaks on their hide with tassels of curly hair to show where their humps will develop. Since full-grown camel humps are reservoirs of fatty tissue, it takes a fair amount of food and nutrition for young camels to grow them.

Most people think camels can survive long periods in the desert due to their humps. This is true in one sense, but false in another. The humps, full of fat, serve as a backup source of calories. However, camels’ ability to store water comes from the unique shape and elasticity of their red blood cells, which we explore in the next section.

They Store Water in Their Blood

While many animals have red blood cells with round, circular shapes, camel red blood cells are oval-shaped. This makes them much smaller, and therefore, able to circulate effectively even when a camel is dehydrated. When camels are dehydrated, their red blood cells thicken but still move freely throughout the body. If a camel happens upon water, their red blood cells can expand up to 240% to hold water.

Many people assume that camels’ large humps hold water, but they are mostly fat. It’s the red blood cells that balloon in size to hold onto water for those dry, prolonged trips through the desert. This red blood cell structure is amazing and unique. If other animals’ red blood cells expanded to hold water, they would most likely burst under the pressure. For camels, however, the elasticity of their red blood cells allows them to drink up to 40 gallons of water in a single session.

Camel Milk is Amazing and Nutritious

People have long drunk cow’s milk, but camel milk blows it out of the water in terms of nutrition and health benefits. While cow milk is high in saturated fats and cholesterol, camel milk is quite healthy. It’s chock-full of B1, B2, and C vitamins. In fact, camel milk has a vitamin C content up to five times higher than cow milk.

Scientists have discovered that camel’s milk is also great in medicinal terms. It has antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic properties. It also lacks the β-lactoglobulin protein, which is found in cow milk and can trigger allergic reactions. Camel milk is a staple nutrient source in many developing countries. It remains to be seen if it will become popular in other parts of the world.

Llama Cousins

There are two main types of camels, Camelus bactrianus and Camelus dromedarius. The difference between these two varieties is evident in their humps; dromedary camels have one but bactrian camels have two. We often associate camels with two humps because dromedary camels account for about 94% of the world’s camel population, while Bactrian camels make up only about 6%.

What’s amazing is that both types of camels are closely related to llamas. All of these animals belong to the Camelidae family, which includes alpacas and vicuñas. Llamas and camels may live oceans away from each other, but it wasn’t always like this. Fossil records show that the Camelidae family of animals originated in North America. None of these species still lives in North America, making the connection seem more tenuous.

Arabic Nicknames

Camels play an integral role in Arabian cultures, so it’s no surprise that people in those cultures have more than one word for the animal. What’s amazing, however, is that Arabic has over 100 words for these desert-dwelling animals. There are words for the standard Bactrian camel, to be sure, but there are also words describing camels with specific functions or sensibilities. A word like ‘al-Jafool’ denotes a camel that is frightened easily, whereas a word like ‘al-harib’ means a female camel that walks ahead of her counterparts.

There are also Arabic words for camels that drink once every three days and for camels that are skilled at escaping and avoiding capture. At one point, there were reportedly hundreds of words for camel, with some sources suggesting over 300. What’s more, the word camel comes from the Arabic word for beauty.

Camel Spit

A cursory search of YouTube will show you dozens of videos featuring camels spitting on people or other animals. It may seem gross, but it serves several important functions for a camel. For one, it acts as a defense mechanism to deter predators or any animal that gets too close. It can also function as communication, to enforce social hierarchies, or let other camels know that a dominant individual is around. Finally, camels spit to express stress, displeasure, or agitation.

For an animal that survives on water reserves, spitting seems counterproductive. Camel spit, however, is not related to their keen water conservation. While we call it spitting, it is actually more similar to regurgitation. Their spit is a mixture of saliva and stomach contents. Their cousins, llamas, are also known for spitting. Both animals accomplish this by chewing up their stomach contents (cud) and projecting them outward.

Big Lips and Thick Eyelashes

Many people yearn for luscious facial features, but camels are born with them. You’ve probably seen pictures or videos of camels chowing down on uninviting foods like cactus. They can do this thanks to thick, leather-like linings in their mouth. Such a tough lining allows them to eat seemingly inedible things like twigs, date stones, and cacti.

Camels also have big, beautiful eyelashes. While they may be aesthetically pleasing, they serve an amazing function in arid, desert climates. Camels have two rows of eyelashes, which block dust, sand, and other tiny debris particles. Their eyelashes are also angled downward, which helps block glare and reduce the amount of sand getting in their eyes. What’s more, camels have a secret third eyelid called the nictitating membrane, which keeps their vision intact during heavy sandstorms. It also spreads moisture across their eyes to keep them hydrated even in the driest conditions.

Built for the Desert

The previous entry mentioned several key features that help camels endure brutal desert conditions, but they have even more amazing, desert-ready equipment. These include the soles of their feet, which have a large enough surface area to prevent them from sinking into shifting sand. These pads are unique among mammals; they feature two fingernail-like nails on the front of the pad, but camels walk softly compared to, say, cows, which walk on the tips of their hoof-covered toes.

Camels also have sealable nostrils, with slits that can close to protect them from sand gusts. Inside their noses are special cavities that catch moisture from incoming air, but trap it as carbon dioxide is expelled. What’s more, camel bodies can tolerate temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit without breaking a sweat.

Integral to Desert Societies

As previously mentioned, Arabic features over a hundred words for camel. That’s because the camel is an integral part of desert cultures in the Middle East. They serve as crucial transportation across unwelcoming deserts and provide nutritious milk. In many Middle Eastern countries, camel meat is considered a delicacy, with many people saying it has a taste similar to beef.

Camels are so prized in the Middle East that several countries host camel festivals. Not only do these events feature camel races, but they also have something like beauty pageants. Some camels have reportedly sold for millions of dollars at auction.