Common Name: Bactrian Camel Scientific Name: Camelus bactrianus
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Bactrian Camel Distribution: Asia
Habitat: Desert Height: Approx. 350cm Weight: Up to 700kg Diet: Herbivorous
The Bactrian Camel is a two humped camel. (Dromedary Camels have one hump). These humps help them survive times of drought. It is a myth that they store water in their humps. Instead they are filled with fat. This is can be used as a replacement for both food and water. About 2 thirds of this weight will be lost if the camel has to withstand drought conditions. They have a thick woolly coat in the winter to cope with the cold. This is shed every year in spring so they can cope with the heat of the summer. The Bactrian Camel comes from the semi desert areas that run from Kazakhstan to Mongolia. They are nomadic and so move depending on the seasons. Camels will walk long distances to find enough food and when they find it they can the consume large amounts of vegetation. Camels can be either solitary or found in herds where there is ample food. They breed in winter giving birth in the more favourable spring months of March and April after a gestation period (pregnancy) of 400 days. The calf is born helpless but is up on its feet by the end of its first day. It will then suckle for about 18 months when it moves on to the vegetarian diet that its mother eats. Camels are fully grown by the age of five but reach sexual maturity at the age of three. A healthy camel may live up to 50 years.