Camel body adaptations
The camel is one of the largest animals in the desert, and the most tolerant of these conditions, as it is able to withstand hunger and thirst for a long time, and to walk continuously without feeling tired, and for this reason it was called the ship of the desert; This is due to its amazing physical structure that it possesses, and among these adaptations that the camel possesses are the following:
the presence of a hump;
The size and number of the hump varies according to the type of camel; Some of them have two humps, which is called the Bactrian camel, while other species have one huge hump in which the camel stores its food in the form of fat.
Nose fitting
The nose is of a strange shape, and the camel controls its closure and opening due to the presence of muscles in the nostrils in order to face sand storms and winds. The nose also cools the air entering the lung due to the high air temperature. And the nose is wrinkled from the inside in order to convert the air leaving the lung in the process of exhalation into water through the process of condensation, taking advantage of the water to moisturize its body, so its body does not have to lose more water, and thus the camel regains water to use it on its journey in the desert.
the nature of the stomach
The camel can fill its stomach with large amounts of water, as it absorbs approximately 16 liters without being harmed. Unlike living organisms, it has oval-shaped blood cells that take their shape when the camel drinks a lot. Up for a week on hot summer days.
The nature of the camel's lips and teeth
The camel has a cleft upper and lower lip, through which it can easily pick up thorny plants, and it also has incisor teeth that enable it to chew thistles. The upper gums in the oral cavity contain long horny appendages to protect them from the impact of eaten thorns.
Ear fitting
The camel's ear is very small, and it contains tiny hairs in order to prevent the sand and dust of the desert from entering it.
eye installation
Camel eyes are provided with two rows of long eyelashes; In order to prevent the entry of desert sands and dust in them.
The shape of the legs
The camel is distinguished from the rest of the living creatures by its long legs in order to keep it away from the heat of the blazing desert sands, and it is equipped with soft and wide spongy slippers that enable it to walk on the blazing desert sands without feeling pain or slowing down its speed, as well as protecting it from diving into the fragile sands of the desert.
Composition of the liver
The camel's liver is in the form of lobes separated by fibrous membranes to take advantage of blood and fluids as much as possible, and the camel's body does not contain bitterness.
The nature of what covers the camel's body
The camel has very thick skin to isolate its internal body from the scorching external heat, and also helps it protect it from various desert insects. As for the hair, it forms a preliminary layer to reflect the sun's rays from the camel's body.
Camel Behavioral Adaptations In addition to what the camel's body has in terms of bodily structures that help it adapt in difficult environments; However, he also possesses behaviors that support his living in his environment, and the most prominent of which are as follows:
Drink plenty of water
The amount of water a camel drinks depends on the environmental conditions, especially the temperature, the level of effort it performs, and the amount of water in its body. A thirsty camel can drink more than 120 liters of water within 15 minutes, and in the cold months it may give up water because it gets what it needs. He needs it from green plants.
Eat a lot of food
The camel feeds during daylight hours on a variety of plants; It includes tree leaves, twigs, hay, straw, grass, grains, and even thorny bushes, as its thick and tough lips help it break and eat it, and in the cold months it feeds on green plants.[3] The camel is a ruminant; Just like cows and sheep, he chews his food and swallows it, then puts it back in his mouth to chew it again.
Practice spitting
Many people think that camels spit, but in fact it is more like vomiting; As the camel excretes the contents of its stomach with saliva, its cheeks are filled as an indication of the exit of vomiting, and camels use this behavior as a distraction factor for what disturbs or frightens them.
Walking in the desert in groups
Camels love to stay together in groups called herds, led by a male who controls the herd. Camels are social animals that walk together and greet each other by blowing in each other's faces.
Reproduction and caring for offspring
The breeding season lasts about 3 months, during which the dominant male mates with any of the females in the herd, and often protects the females within the group from the bachelor camel, and uses fighting and biting to scare off other intruding males, then the female becomes pregnant after ovulation for a period of 360-440 days, and gives birth to Up to one offspring every two years.
A young camel is usually born in the rainy season, weighing approximately 37 kg, and feeds on its mother's milk from 12 to 18 months. Such as the presence of a hump to store fat, drinking large quantities of water at one time, and the nature of the lips that enable it to eat even the thorny bushes spread in the desert.