The Bactrian Camel

While in Dunhuang, on the edge of the Gobi desert, we not only rode one of these camels, we

-->saw them running wild, or at least completely on their own, unfenced and unmonitored.  The only truly wild camels that still exist are Bactrian camels. These herds survive in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China. 

Bactrian camels have two humps rather than the single hump of their Arabian relatives. The humps function to store fat which can be converted to water and energy when sustenance is not available. These humps give camels their legendary ability to endure long periods of travel without water, even in harsh desert conditions. As their fat is depleted, the humps become floppy and flabby.  They could go 40 days without water over the Gobi desert, making them a popular pack animal during the hey day of the Silk Road.

Bactrian camels live in Central and East Asia's rocky deserts. Temperatures in these locales are hot—over 100°F-- in summer. Yet they can also drop to –20°F in winter. They have developed special adaptations to allow them to survive in such a brutal environment. One is a thick, shaggy coat that protects them in winter and falls away as seasons change and temperatures rise.  They rarely sweat, helping them conserve fluids for long periods of time. In winter, plants may yield enough moisture to sustain a camel without water for several weeks.  Like Arabian camels, Bactrians' nostrils close to keep sand at bay, and their bushy eyebrows and two rows of long eyelashes protect their eyes. Big, flat footpads help them navigate the rough rocky terrain and shifting desert sands without sinking under their own massive bulk or the weight of heavy packs.

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