How many legs does a camel have? Bactrian camel

The Bactrian camel is the most major representative a kind of species that lives mainly in hard-to-reach landscapes. For people living in arid countries, it is very valuable and is a vehicle widely used for transportation. In addition, its meat and milk are used for food; wool also finds its use in everyday life.

Description of the species

In nature, there are two main varieties of Bactrian camels, differing from each other in living conditions:

1. Homemade. In Mongolia they are usually called Bactrians.
2. Wild. Another name for them is haptagai. A rare species listed in the Red Book due to the possibility of extinction.

Both wild and domestic, they amaze with their huge build. Males are sometimes up to 2.7 meters tall and weigh up to 1 ton. Female camels are somewhat smaller in size, their weight varies from 500 to 800 kg. The camel's tail has a tassel at the end and is about 0.5 meters long. The two humps of camels are mobile; when the animal is well-fed, they are elastic and stand upright, but in a state of hunger they tilt completely or partially to the sides, dangling as they move. The humps accumulate fat deposits, which are a necessary nutritional reserve for the animal. The ability of weight accumulation of fat deposits is limited to 150 kg. In addition, the humps protect the owner from overheating, covering his back from direct contact with the scorching rays of the sun. The distance between the humps is 40 cm, allowing you to equip a saddle for the rider between them.

The legs of Bactrian camels are long, the feet are forked into two parts, the bottom is a thick callous pad, the front leg is claw-shaped, reminiscent of a hoof. This structure of the legs allows camels to move without much difficulty on rocky or loose surfaces of the ground. It is characteristic that domestic camels have calloused areas covering their front knees and chest area, which is not typical for their wild counterparts.

The animal's neck is curved, very long, from the base it bends down and then rises up. The head is very large, located in line with the shoulders. Double eyelashes, eyes with an expressive look. The nostrils are slit-shaped, the ears are very small. The upper lip has a bifurcation, which facilitates the process of chewing rough, solid food.

The coat is colored predominantly in sandy colors, sometimes reaching a dark or reddish color. Domesticated individuals are most often brown, but there are also representatives of this genus in gray, white, and black colors. Light camels are considered the rarest.

The structure of camel fur is represented by hollow hairs surrounded by undercoat, which protects the camel from changes in positive and negative air temperatures. The length of the coat is from 5 to 7 cm, at the tops of the humps and at the bottom of the neck it is longer - up to 25 cm. winter period the coat lengthens somewhat and can reach up to 30 cm in length. Camels' fur falls out in clumps in the spring, during their molting period. In the next three weeks until a new one appears coat they walk bald and unkempt.

Habitat

Breeding of Bactrian camels is most widespread in areas with desert areas and rock-strewn slopes, where there is a limited supply of natural water and vegetation cover. A necessary condition for their residence is an arid climate; dampness is unacceptable for them. The main territories of residence for camels are Mongolia, Asia, Buryatia, China, as well as a number of other territories characterized by dry climatic conditions.

Bactrian camels, regardless of whether they belong to wild or domestic species, are endowed with the ability to survive in sometimes harsh conditions that are unbearable for individuals of other species of the animal world. This is confirmed by their ability to live during periods of very hot, dry summers or very cold winters.

In search of sources of water, wild representatives of this species are able to travel long distances, up to 90 kilometers daily. Replenishing the body's water supply, they visit the rare rivers and temporary rainfalls. In winter, watering near rivers is replaced by obtaining the necessary water from snow covers.

Characteristics and lifestyle

Khaptagai in natural conditions They live in a herd of up to 20 individuals led by a leader, but in rare cases they can live alone. They constantly move across rocky flat areas in search of food and especially water, stopping first at one rare source, then at another. Bactrian camels lead an active lifestyle during the day; when darkness falls, apathy and lethargy in movements appear; more often they sleep at night. In hurricane winds, they prefer to lie down. A saving way for them to endure the heat is for them to walk against the wind, thereby ensuring thermoregulation. They also use ravines and bushes to seek coolness.

The temperament of Khaptagai and Bactrians is different. Domesticated camels are cowardly and calm in their behavior. Wild individuals are shy, but at the same time aggressive. Possessing sharp vision by nature, they see danger from afar and flee from it. The speed of haptagai can reach up to 60 km. per hour, and their endurance is so great that their running can last 2-3 days until their strength is completely exhausted and the camel falls exhausted. The Khaptagai are afraid of domesticated camels, considering them no less their enemies than tigers or wolves.

With their large heads and enormous body dimensions, Bactrian camels are not far off; when attacked by predators, they do not defend themselves, but only roar or spit. Often, even crows are able to peck at camel wounds without encountering resistance. A camel is defenseless against enemy attacks.

The saliva that a camel spits contains, in addition to it, the contents of the stomach of an irritated animal.

The winter snow period causes inconvenience for camels; they are not able to easily move through the snow, much less look for food under the snow. Horses come to the aid of domesticated camels, running through the snow, stirring it up and allowing the camels to pick up food dug out from under the snow. Wild animals have to independently look for places where ungulates ran.

Power supplies

The main nutritional diet of Bactrian camels consists of coarse, low-nutrient food, which is not suitable for all representatives of the animal world. Giants eat thorny plants, reed shoots, and coarse grass. They feed not only on plant foods; bones and skins of fauna are suitable for their nutrition. They are also capable of fasting for a long period of time; restricting food intake does not adversely affect their health. But overeating leads to obesity of the animal, thereby disrupting its work internal organs. In general, camels are indiscriminate eaters; they feed on dry grass, various cereals and dried bread.

Representatives of this species are capable of drinking water, including salty water, in huge quantities, up to 100 liters. at one time in case of prolonged absence of water. On average, being near a river, they approach it to quench their thirst once every 3 days. Without harm to health, he is able to do without liquid for 2-3 weeks, replacing the lack of water with grass.

Reproduction, lifespan

Camels reach adulthood by the age of 3-4 years. At this age they can reproduce. Mating season for this species of animal comes in the fall. During this period of time, males are very aggressive, which is expressed by their roaring, secretions of foam on the lips, constant throwing and throwing at others. Males fight with rivals, bite and kick, continuing to strike until the opponent's death. Domesticated aggressive camels are marked with rags tied to them during the mating season and they try to keep them separately from other individuals. Wild males become bolder and are able to take domesticated females with them, and destroy the males in a competitive fight.

Pregnancy lasts 13 months, the baby appears in the spring, its weight is up to 45 kg. It is very rare for a female to give birth to more than one baby, never more than two. The baby gains the ability to walk within 2 hours of birth. It feeds on mother's milk until it is one and a half years old. Parents care for the baby until he reaches puberty. Subsequently, he becomes independent, the newly-made male leaves the family to create his own herd, while the female remains with her mother in her herd.

There are known cases of crossing one-humped and two-humped camels, as a result of which individuals appeared with one hump extending along the entire length of the animal’s back. The female was named Maya, and the male was named Birtugan.

The life expectancy of wild Bactrian camels is approximately 40 years; domesticated camels, not exhausted by all the litigation that befalls wild animals, live 5-7 years longer than their fellow tribesmen.

Video: Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus)

Names in Russian: Bactrian, Habtagai, Bactrian camel.
In English - Wild bactrian camel; in Ukrainian - double-humped camel; in German - Trampeltier, Zweihöckriges; in French - chameau de Bactriane.

Description

Appearance: Domestic and wild Bactrian camels differ in color and thickness of fur, body type and shape of humps. Wild camels are lighter in color, slimmer, and have smaller and sharper humps than domestic ones.
The humps are covered with thick hair in the cold season, and bare in the warm season. Shedding occurs unevenly, and the old fur falls out in whole pieces.
Each hump can store up to 36 kg of fat, which, when oxidized, releases water in greater quantities than the weight of the fat consumed. When fat reserves are consumed, the humps become flabby.
No hooves. Two on each leg thumbs, resting on a callous thickening of the skin lying on the keratinized sole. Two large claws protrude from the sole. Such limbs are adapted to walking on rocky deserts and soft sand. The legs are thick, strong and knobby, with well-developed knee calluses on the hind legs. There are also calluses on the chest, elbows and heels.
The neck is long and curved.
The body is round, the neck is long, the head is elongated. The ears are small, rounded, overgrown with hair. The tail is long with a tassel at the end.
The lips are tough, which allows camels to eat thorns. The upper lip is forked.
The eyes are large with two rows of long eyelashes that protect the animal from winds and sandstorms. The eyebrows are thick and protect the eyes well from the bright rays of the sun.
During sandstorms, camels close not only their eyes, but also their slit-like nostrils.

Color: Ranges from dark brown to light beige.

Size: Body length with head 2.7-3.6 m, tail length 35-55 cm, height at withers 1.8-2.3 m. The camel's footprint is up to 30 cm in diameter.

Weight: Varies depending on when the camel drank. Females 377-517 kg, males 367-422 kg.

Coat: The length of the coat (except in places where long hair grows) does not exceed 5 cm. The density of the coat depends on the habitat. Long hair (up to 25 cm) grows on the throat and neck, somewhat similar to a beard. Winter wool is very shaggy and warm.

Structure: A stomach with several chambers that help in processing rough food - first a portion of food is swallowed without chewing, then the partially digested food (rumination) is regurgitated by the camel and chewed thoroughly.
To conserve water reserves, the Bactrian camel's kidneys (due to its highly elongated nephrons) can highly concentrate urine. Gallbladder absent.
Camels have 34 sharp teeth.
Camels have oval red blood cells, which allows them to drink large amounts of water in a short time.

Life expectancy: 40-60 years.

Voice: Shrill, high-pitched, somewhat similar to the neighing of a donkey. Camels scream and growl loudly as they rise with a load.

Spreading

Area: The wild ancestor of the Bactrian camel still lives in Africa, Asia Minor (Taklimakan and Gobi deserts), Arabia, India, Turkmenistan (Russia) and the Himalayas.
The first camels were imported to America in 1856 (Texas) for the needs of the army.

Habitat: Deserts and semi-deserts, dry steppes, rocky mountain ranges, rock dunes and canyons with sparse vegetation and lack of water sources. Temperature fluctuations in the habitats of Bactrians range from +40"C in summer to -40"C in winter.

Nutrition

Food: Herbivores eat dry, thorny and salty plants, as well as tree leaves, shrubs and subshrubs, Mongolian onion, barnyard grass, eferda, tansy, feather grass, caragana, saxaul shoots, poplar leaves, reeds.
Licking salt on salt licks.

Eating behavior: Bactrians can eat the bones and skin of other animals. In emergency situations, ropes, sandals and even tents can be chewed. Wild camels are constantly in search of food, not staying in one place for too long (usually a herd travels up to 90 km a day).
Bactrians feed in the morning and evening. When animals come across water, they drink as much water as has already been consumed, but not more than 114 liters. Able to drink salt and brackish water.

Behavior

The Bactrian camel is a calm and patient animal, active during daylight hours.
They spend most of the night and during the hottest hours of the day resting, sitting on a flat, open piece of land or near a bush in order to notice enemies in time. While everyone is resting, the leader stands guard. At the slightest danger, he gives a signal and all the animals leave, without stopping for several kilometers.
Vision and sense of smell are well developed; the animal can see a moving object at a distance of up to 1 km. Bactrian camels run fast - up to 60 km/h.
In cold times, they migrate south and stick to mountains or oases (not occupied by man).
Camels, like all animals from the callous family (llamas, alpacas, vicunas, etc.) can spit cud at each other. Bactrian can also spit at a person if he believes that he is dangerous, but this happens quite rarely. In defense, it kicks like a horse, can bite, and some even trample with its front legs.
During hurricanes, animals can lie motionless for several days. In extreme heat, they fan themselves with their tails and stick out their tongues (like dogs).
They approach water sources once every few days, but if the source is inaccessible, then camels go without water for 2-3 weeks, eating succulent plants. Swims well. It slips in slush and ice and can fall. Camels amble.

Lifestyle

Social structure: In the warm season, Bactrians are found alone or in small groups (6-20 individuals), consisting of females and young people, headed by a leader. IN winter time animals gather in herds (up to 100 individuals). The size of the herd depends on the amount of food.

Enemies: Adult animals have no enemies; large predators can hunt stray camels.

Reproduction

The male camel has well-developed scent glands on the back of its head. It marks its territory with their tarry secretion, leaving marks on sand, stones and vegetation. During the rut, wild camels are joined by domestic camels. Wild males can attack herds of domestic camels, kill and steal females.
At this time, males become very aggressive - they bite, spit and fight with their front legs. During the fight, males crush each other with their necks, trying to knock down their opponent.
The female gives birth to one camel every two years.

Breeding season/period: Autumn winter.

Puberty: In females - 3 years, in males - 5 years. The reproductive period in females lasts up to 30 years.

Pregnancy: Lasts 13 months.

Offspring: The female gives birth standing. Two hours after birth, the baby camel begins to walk. Lactation lasts up to 1.5 years. The baby drinks up to 5 liters of fat milk (6.4% fat) per day. The baby camel stays with its mother until it reaches puberty.

Economic importance

Benefits for humans: The Bactrian camel was domesticated by humans more than 1,000 years ago. Used for transporting goods (a camel can carry 150-450 kg of cargo). Wool, milk, fat, meat, bones and droppings are used by the local population for their needs.
Wool and hides are used to make blankets, clothing, carpets and tents; fat is used in cooking; the milk is very fatty and filling; dried droppings are used as fuel.
Creates hybrids with domestic camels.

Harm to humans: The wild animals are hunted by farmers due to competition with domestic camels for food.

Number and security

Population: The wild population of Bactrians remains only in Mongolia and China (Gobi and Taklimakan deserts). The estimated population size is about 500 mature individuals.

Security status: The wild Bactrian camel is listed in the International Red Book.

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The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), a species of calloused mammal of the camelid genus; a large animal with a long neck and two fatty humps on the back. The Bactrian camel is also called Bactrian, but some zoologists believe it is correct to call the wild camel a Bactrian camel, and its domesticated form Bactrian. Body length 250-360 cm, height 180-210 cm, tail 50-58 cm, weight 450-690 kg. The existence of the wild Bactrian camel in the deserts of Central Asia has long been known. Skins and skeletons of wild camels were first brought in 1878 by N. M. Przhevalsky, who repeatedly observed them in the Kumtag desert east of Lake Lop Nor. For several decades, the wild camel was unknown and it was assumed that it had disappeared. In 1943, in the Trans-Altai Gobi, A.G. Bannikov again discovered wild camels.

Wild camels were once widespread throughout the Gobi and reached as far west as Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Nowadays, no more than a thousand wild camels live in the remote corners of bush deserts in the summer, preferring wide valleys with low hills. In winter, they migrate 300-600 km to the south and often stay in the mountains, which protect them from the frosty wind, or along dry watercourses. If oases with variegated poplars are not occupied by humans, camels spend winter and especially autumn near them. They feed on shrub and semi-shrub hodgepodges, love onions, barnyard grass, parsley, eat ephedra and saxaul shoots, and in the fall they eat poplar leaves and reeds in oases. Despite their endurance, wild camels suffer from a small number of watering places.

Wild camels are characterized by migrations throughout the day, even with an abundance of food, and transitions are associated with watering holes. They rest most of the night and midday hours, choosing flat areas for lying down. Camels are most active in the morning and evening hours. They have keen eyesight and can spot a moving person from more than a kilometer away. Usually camels are kept in herds of 5-9 heads of females and young ones. The herd is headed by an adult male. Males are often found alone.

Camels become sexually mature at three years of age. Males apparently take part in reproduction no earlier than five years of age. Camels rut ​​in January-February. During this period, there are fights between males, sometimes fierce. The males press their necks against each other, trying to topple the enemy. Less often, they bite each other and strike with their heads and front legs. During the rutting season, in search of females, wild camels sometimes attack herds of domestic camels, killing males and driving away females. Pregnancy lasts about 13 months (365-440 days). The female gives birth standing, always to one camel. A domestic camel feeds her baby with milk for more than a year, giving 4-5 liters of milk per day. To preserve the wild camel population in Mongolia, the Great Gobi Nature Reserve was created.

The domestic Bactrian camel, known as the Bactrian, differs little from the wild one. Domestic camels have larger humps, wider feet, and well-developed calluses on the knees of the front legs. The proportions of the skull of domestic and wild camels have small but consistent differences. The color of the coat of domestic camels is variable - from light, sandy-yellow to dark brown, while wild ones have a constant reddish-brown-sandy color. The Bactrian camel was domesticated more than a thousand years BC. As an animal resistant to low temperatures and anhydrous conditions, it has become widespread in Mongolia, Northern China and Kazakhstan. There are several breeds of domestic Bactrian camels - Kalmyk, Kazakh, Mongolian.

Camels are a genus of mammals of the camelid family (Camelidae) of the suborder Camelidae of the order Artiodactyla. These are large animals adapted for life in arid regions of the world - deserts, semi-deserts and steppes.

There are two types of camels:

• Camelus bactrianus – Bactrian camel, or Bactrian;
• Camelus dromedarius - one-humped camel, or dromedary, or dromedary, or Arabian.

Desert inhabitants highly value camels and call this animal the “ship of the desert.”

Spreading

In the past, the wild camel apparently occurred over a wide area of ​​much of Central Asia. It was widespread in the Gobi and other desert regions of Mongolia and China, reaching to the east as far as the Great Bend of the Yellow River, and to the west to modern central Kazakhstan and Central Asia (remains of wild camels are known from kitchen waste found there during excavations of settlements 1500 - 1000 years BC).

Now the range of khaptagai is small and fragmented - there are 4 isolated areas in Mongolia and China. Specifically, in Mongolia, the wild camel lives in the Trans-Altai Gobi, including the foothills of the Edren and Shivet-Ulan ranges, to the border with China. In China, the main habitat of wild camels is in the area of ​​Lake Lop Nor. Until recently, the camel was found in the Taklamakan Desert, but it may have already become extinct there.

Camel - description, characteristics, structure

A camel is an animal that is quite large in size: the average height at the withers of an adult is about 210-230 cm, and the weight of a camel reaches 300-700 kg. Particularly large individuals weigh more than a ton. The body length is 250-360 cm for two-humped camels, 230-340 cm for one-humped camels. Males are always larger than females.

The anatomy and physiology of these mammals are a clear indication of their adaptability to life in harsh and arid conditions. The camel has a strong, dense build, a long U-shaped curved neck and a rather narrow, elongated skull. The animal's ears are small and round, sometimes almost completely buried in thick fur.

The large eyes of a camel are reliably protected from sand, sun and wind by thick, long eyelashes. The nictitating membrane, the third eyelid, protects the animal's eyes from sand and wind. The nostrils are shaped like narrow slits that can close tightly, preventing moisture loss and protecting during sandstorms.

A camel has 34 teeth in its mouth. The animals' lips are rough and fleshy, adapted for tearing off thorny and tough vegetation. The upper lip is forked.

Large calluses are located on the chest, wrists, elbows and knees of domestic animals, allowing the mammal to painlessly lower itself and lie on the hot ground. Wild individuals do not have calluses on their elbows and knees. Each camel's leg ends in a cloven foot with a kind of claw located on a calloused pad. Two-toed feet are ideal for walking on rocky and sandy terrain.

The camel's tail is quite short in relation to the body and is about 50-58 cm. At the end of the tail there is a tassel formed by a tuft of long hair.

Camels have a thick and dense coat that prevents moisture from evaporating in hot weather and provides warmth on cold nights. The camel's fur is slightly curly, and its color can be very diverse: from light to dark brown and almost black. On the back of the animals’ heads there are paired glands that secrete a special odorous secretion, with which camels mark their territory by bending their necks and wiping themselves on stones and soil.

Peculiarities

Contrary to popular belief, a camel's hump contains fat, not water. For example, the hump of a Bactrian camel contains up to 150 kg of fat. The hump protects the animal's back from overheating and is a reservoir for energy reserves. There are 2 closely related species of camels: one-humped and two-humped, having, respectively, 1 or 2 humps, laid down by evolutionary development, as well as some differences associated with living conditions.

Camels retain fluid in the scar tissue of the stomach, so they can easily tolerate long-term dehydration. The structure of camels' blood cells is such that during prolonged dehydration, when another mammal would have died long ago, their blood does not thicken. Camels can survive without water for a couple of weeks, and without food they can live for about a month. The red blood cells of these animals are not round, but oval in shape, which is a rare exception among mammals. Without access to water for a long time, a camel can lose up to 40% of its weight. If an animal loses 100 kg in a week, then after receiving water it will quench its thirst within 10 minutes. In total, the camel will drink more than 100 liters of water at a time and make up for the lost 100 kg of weight, recovering literally before our eyes.

All camels have excellent eyesight: they are able to spot a person a kilometer away, and a moving car 3-5 km away. Animals have a well-developed sense of smell: they sense a source of water at a distance of 40-60 km, easily anticipate the approach of a thunderstorm and go to where the showers will occur.

Despite the fact that the majority of these mammals have never seen large bodies of water, camels can swim well, tilting their bodies slightly to the side. A camel runs at an amble, and the speed of a camel can reach 23.5 km/h. Some individuals of wild haptagai are capable of accelerating up to 65 km/h.

Character and lifestyle of the Bactrian camel

IN wildlife camels tend to settle down, but constantly move across desert areas, rocky plains and foothills within large marked areas.

Khaptagai move from one rare water source to another to replenish their vital supplies. Usually 5-20 individuals stay together. The leader of the herd is the main male. Activity manifests itself during the day, and in the dark the camel sleeps or behaves sluggishly and apathetically. During hurricane periods it lies for days; in hot weather they walk against the wind for thermoregulation or hide in ravines and bushes.

Wild individuals are shy and aggressive, unlike the cowardly but calm Bactrians. Khaptagai have keen eyesight and, when danger appears, they run away at speeds of up to 60 km/h.

They can run for 2-3 days until they are completely exhausted. Domestic Bactrian camels are perceived as enemies and are feared along with wolves and tigers. The smoke from the fire terrifies them.

Researchers note that the dimensions and natural forces They don’t save giants because of their small minds. When attacked by a wolf, they do not even think about defending themselves, they just scream and spit. Even crows can peck at animal wounds and abrasions from heavy loads; a camel shows its defenselessness.

In an irritated state, spitting is not a release of saliva, as many believe, but contents accumulated in the stomach.

The life of domesticated animals is subordinate to humans. In case of wildness, they lead the image of their ancestors. Adult sexually mature males can live alone. In winter, it is more difficult for camels than other animals to move through the snow. They also cannot dig up food under the snow due to the lack of true hooves. There is a practice of winter grazing, first of horses, which stir up the snow cover, and then of camels, who pick up the remaining food.

Bactrian camel feeding

Rough and low-nutrient food forms the basis of the diet of two-humped giants. Herbivorous camels feed on plants with thorns that all other animals will refuse.

Most species of desert flora are included in the food supply: reed shoots, leaves and branches of parfolia, onions, coarse grass. They can feed on the remains of animal bones and skins, even objects made from them, in the absence of other food. If the plants in food are succulent, then the animal can survive without water for up to three weeks. If a source is available, they drink on average once every 3-4 days. Wild individuals even consume brackish water without harm to their health. Pets avoid it, but they need salt consumption.

After severe dehydration, a Bactrian camel can drink up to 100 liters of liquid at a time. Nature has endowed camels with the ability to withstand long periods of fasting. The scarcity of food does not harm the condition of the body.

Excessive nutrition leads to obesity and organ failure. Camels are not picky about household feed; they eat hay, crackers, and cereals.

Reproduction

Autumn is the rutting season. At this time, males become overly aggressive. They begin to rush around, roar loudly and start violent fights, using their teeth and delivering powerful kicks. Sometimes this leads to the death of one of the opponents. At this time, the male can be very dangerous for humans, so for safety reasons they are put on a leash or put on red warning bands. There have been cases where wild camels killed males in domestic herds and took their females with them.

13 months after mating, only 1 cub is born. Typically, the peak birth rate occurs in March-April. Females give birth standing up, just like giraffes. A newborn baby can hardly be called a baby. His weight reaches 45 kg, and his height is 90 cm at the shoulders. Just a couple of hours after birth, he can calmly follow his mother.

The female feeds the cub until one and a half years old. Puberty in males and females occurs at approximately the same time - at the age of 3-5 years.

Bactrian camel population

Khaptagai is listed in the International Red Book as a species in critical situation. Now in the world there are no more than a couple of hundred wild camels. If the population decline continues at the same rate as now, then, according to researchers, by 2033 this species will disappear from the face of the earth.

As measures to protect and increase their numbers, nature reserves began to be created in Mongolia and China. In addition, in Mongolia there is a program for breeding haptagai in enclosures.

The bacterium is widely used on the farm as a pack and draft animal. Its meat, skin and milk are highly prized. In addition, sometimes Bactrian can be found in the circus arena and in zoo enclosures.

Natural enemies

Despite the fact that to date the ranges of the tiger and the Bactrian camel do not overlap anywhere, in the past, when tigers were more numerous and found in Central Asia, they could attack both wild and domestic animals. The tiger shared territory with a wild camel in the area of ​​Lake Lob Nor, but disappeared from these places after the start of irrigation. Large dimensions did not save Bactrians; There is a known case when a tiger killed a camel stuck in a salt marsh, from where even several people could not pull it out, and dragged the carcass 150 steps. Tiger attacks on domestic camels have been one of the reasons for the persecution of tigers by people in camel-breeding areas.

Another dangerous enemy of the Bactrian is the wolf. The population of wild camels loses several individuals every year from attacks by these predators. In the mentioned Lob-Nor reserve, wolves pose a danger to wild camels only in its southern part, where there are springs fresh water; further north, where there is only brackish water, there are no wolves. Wolves also pose a significant threat to domestic camels. Some authors believed that the camel suffers from predators due to natural timidity: for example, the famous German naturalist Alfred Brehm, with reference to the works of Przhevalsky, wrote:

“If a wolf attacks him, he doesn’t even think about defending himself. It would be easy for him to knock down such an enemy with one kick, but he just spits on him and screams at the top of his lungs. Even the crows offend this stupid animal: they sit on its back and peck at half-closed wounds rubbed with packs, and even tear off pieces of meat from its hump, but the camel doesn’t know how to cope and just spits and screams.”

Domestication

Camels were domesticated 2000 BC. e. These are the most powerful pack and draft animals in the conditions of their distribution. Camels from 4 to 25 years old are used as draft force; they can carry up to 50% of their weight. A camel can travel 30–40 km per day on long journeys. A camel with a rider can travel up to 100 km per day, with an average speed of 10–12 km/h. Camels have long been used in armies, since antiquity and the Middle Ages, to transport goods and riders; combat camels were used directly in battle as part of combat cavalry and individually, often with the aim of intimidating the enemy.

In Russia, one breed of one-humped camel is bred - Arvana and three breeds of two-humped camels - Kalmyk, Kazakh and Mongolian. The most valuable breed is Kalmyk.

Camel meat is used as food, as well as milk, from which shubat, butters and cheeses are made. Milk yield for dromedaries averages 2000 kg per year (may exceed 4000 kg for Arvan) and 750 kg for Bactrians (according to other sources, 600–800 kg). At the same time, the fat content of milk is 4.5 and 5.4 percent, respectively, and the content of vitamin C is significantly higher than in cow's milk. High quality Camel wool is different (it is valued higher than sheep), which contains up to 85% fluff. The wool clipping is 5–10 kg for a Bactrian and 2–4 kg for a dromedary. Camels are sheared in the spring.

More about camel species

The camel genus (Camelus) is divided into two independent species: Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) and one-humped camels (Camelus dromedaries).

Species features bactriana In addition to two humps, there is a long, massive body with relatively short legs and good hair growth, consisting of fine down and awns. It is the good hair growth that allows the Bactrian to exist in areas with harsh winters without suffering from the cold.

The facial part of Bactrian is wide in the eye sockets, with relatively short facial bones. The neck is shorter than that of the dromedary, but more arched. Along the upper edge of the mane reaches 40-60 cm in males, along the entire lower edge there is a beard, on the forearms there is a “breeches”. The distance between the bases of the front and rear humps is 20-40 cm. This gap is not filled with fat, even in well-fed camels. The base of the posterior hump ends at the line of the ilium. The shoulders and sacrum are poorly developed.

Bactrians often have such exterior defects in the positioning of the limbs as markings, sunken wrists, closeness of the hock joints, and sabering of the hind limbs. These animals are less adapted to pack caravan service than dromedaries.

Species characteristic dromedary is the presence of one compact hump, a short body on long legs and, compared to Bactrians, more poor development coat. They have light bones and thinner skin.

Dromedaries are faster maturing animals; the pregnancy of the queens is three weeks shorter than that of Bactrians. The head of a dromedary has elongated facial bones, a convex forehead, a hook-nosed profile, lips that are thin and mobile, and do not compress like those of horses and cattle. The lower lip is often drooping, the cheeks are greatly enlarged and a large amount of food is placed between them and the molars. The soft palate can protrude from the mouth and hang down by 30-40 cm. This is observed in males during the period of sexual arousal.

The dromedary's neck has well-developed muscles, is long, and mobile. Their bangs and mane are not developed, the beard grows only in the upper part of the neck, there is no “breeches”, but in the area of ​​the shoulder blade there are “epaulets”, consisting of long crimped hair, absent in Bactrian. The wool productivity of dromedaries is significantly lower. Adult male camels are sheared at about 4 kg (from the best - up to 5.5), from queens - 2 kg (from the best - up to 3.5), from young animals 1-2 years old - 1.5-2 kg.

The color of dromedaries is from light to dark brown.

Camel hybrids

Since ancient times, the population of countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan practiced interspecific hybridization of camels, that is, they crossed one-humped and two-humped camels. Hybrids have great importance V national economy these countries.

Below is a description of the hybrids:

• Nar– a hybrid of first generation camels, crossed using the Kazakh method. When female Kazakh Bactrian camels are crossed with male Turkmen Bactrian camels of the Arvana breed, a viable cross is obtained. Hybrid females are called nar-maya (or nar-maya), males are called nar. In appearance, the bunk looks like a dromedary and has one elongated hump, which consists of 2 humps fused together. The offspring always exceeds the parents in size: the height at the shoulders of an adult bunk is from 1.8 to 2.3 m, and the weight can exceed 1 ton. The annual milk yield of a female Nara with a fat content of up to 5.14% can exceed 2000 liters, while the average milk yield for dromedaries is 1300-1400 liters per year, and for Bactrians no more than 800 liters per year. Nars, in turn, are capable of producing offspring, which is rare among hybrid specimens, but their young are usually weak and sickly.
• Iner (iner)- This is also a hybrid of first-generation camels obtained by the Turkmen method, namely: by crossing a female Turkmen one-humped camel of the Arvana breed with a male Bactrian camel. The hybrid female is called iner-maya (or iner-maya), the male is called iner. The iner, like the bunk, has 1 elongated hump, differs high performance milk yield and wool yield, and also has a powerful physique.
• Zharbay, or jarbay– a rare second-generation hybrid obtained by crossing first-generation camel hybrids. Experienced camel breeders try to avoid such reproduction, since the offspring are low productive, sickly, often with obvious deformities and signs of degeneration in the form of severely deformed joints of the limbs, a curved chest, and so on.
• Kospak– a camel hybrid obtained by crossing the absorption type of Nar-May females with a male Bactrian camel. Quite a promising hybrid in terms of increased meat mass and high milk productivity. It is also recommended for breeding for further crossing in order to increase the small population of another camel hybrid, kez-nar.
• Kez-nar– a group of hybrid camels, which are the result of crossing Cospak females with dromedary males of the Turkmen breed. As a result, individuals appear that exceed the cospaks in weight, and are ahead of the nar-may in height at the withers, milk production and wool clipping.
• Kurt– a group of hybrid camels obtained by crossing Iner-May with male Turkmen dromedary. Kurt is a one-humped hybrid; the animal's forearms are slightly pubescent. Milk productivity is quite high, although the fat content of the milk is low, and the kurt is not a record holder in terms of the amount of wool sheared.
• Kurt-nar– hybrid camels bred by crossing Kurt hybrid females and Bactrian males of the Kazakh breed.
• Kama- a hybrid of a dromedary camel and a llama. The resulting hybrid has no hump, the animal's fur is fluffy, very soft, up to 6 cm long. The kama's limbs are long, very strong, with double hooves, so the hybrid can be used as a hardy pack animal, capable of carrying loads weighing up to 30 kg. Kama has rather small ears and a long tail. Height at the withers varies from 125 to 140 cm, and weight from 50 to 70 kg.

Amazing facts about camels

The camel is a unique animal. Some consider him handsome, while others find him unattractive and even scary. There is a huge amount interesting facts about camels, which I will tell you about.

Let's check how broad your knowledge about camels is?

1. Let's start from the very beginning, with the word “camel” and its origin, and it comes from the Arabic word “beauty”
2. Contrary to popular belief, camels' humps do not store water. It stores fat, which helps lower the high temperature of the rest of the body.
3. The main reason that camels can go for long periods without water is the structure of their red blood cells. They are oval in shape and, once dehydrated, remain able to flow while human red blood cells collide with each other. The camel is the only mammal with oval red blood cells.
4. Camels can drink up to 200 liters of water at a time
5. The body temperature of these animals ranges from 34 degrees Celsius at night to 41 degrees during the day. They don't start sweating until the temperature exceeds 41 degrees.
6. The following photo shows the facial expression of a camel during mating, or sometimes to enhance the "spitting" effect.
7. If a camel has gone to bed or just rested, then getting him to get up is almost impossible until he himself wants it.
8. Camels' lips have a special shape, which greatly helps them graze.
9. They can eat anything, including thorny spines, without damaging their lips or mouth.
10. Camels can kick in all four directions with each of their legs.
11. They can completely close their nostrils from wind and sand when necessary.
12. The shape of their nostrils allows them to store water vapor and return it to the body as liquid.
13. Camels can lose 25% of fluids without dehydration. Most mammals can only lose 15%.
14. Camels are ruminants, like cows and goats.
15. They also get moisture from green plants, which allows them to live without drinking.
16. Their fur reflects sunlight and protects their body from high temperature deserts.
17. One of the camel's defensive abilities is spitting. Essentially, they pull up from the stomach and spit out a dirty, foul-smelling substance when provoked. Those who experienced this themselves will never forget this :)
18. Camel excrement is so dry that it is used as fuel, and their urine is thick like syrup.
19. In North Africa, the camel is a sacred animal
20. Camels were often used in warfare, especially in severely arid regions.
21. Camel milk is highly valued among the peoples of Asian countries. Its fat content is about 5-6%. Camel milk has a sweet taste, is quite nutritious and contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. One camel can produce from 300 to more than 1000 liters of milk per year (depending on the breed).
22. The Bactrian camel is depicted on the coat of arms and flag of the Chelyabinsk region. In the Complete Collection of Laws Russian Empire“For 1830, the following explanation was given for this: “A loaded camel as a sign that it is enough to bring them to this city with goods.”
23. A two-humped camel named Vasya appears at the beginning of the film “Gentlemen of Fortune.”
24. In 2003, a Mongolian-German team filmed the documentary drama “Tears of a Camel” (directed by D. Byambasuren). The film was nominated for a 2004 National Academy Award in the category "Best Documentary Feature". The film tells the story of a camel who refused to feed her baby camel, but then changed her mind under the influence of masterfully performed Mongolian music.
25. Among the works of the famous Bulgarian writer Yordan Radichkov there is a story “Bactrian”, the plot of which has a very distant relation to the real Bactrian camel.
26. Bactrian camels are depicted on Russian Kara-Kum sweets. At the same time, two-humped camels are rare in the Karakum Desert; in Turkmenistan, mostly one-humped camels are bred.
27. In Kazakhstan, multiple sambo champion of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Kairat-uly lifted a Bactrian camel and carried it 16 meters.

Camels are perfectly adapted for life in the desert and arid hot lands. They are a source of food, clothing, and means of transportation for most desert inhabitants. They are able to cross vast deserts, carrying heavy loads and passengers on their humps, bringing much more utility than trucks. These animals are amazing because they changed the course of civilization, helping people survive in extremely difficult conditions.

Types of camels

Prehistoric Alticamelus

These animals, of which today only fragments of skeletons remain, scattered throughout to the globe, were one of the most numerous representatives of the “mammoth fauna”. The family included similar friend On the other are species of camels, the names of which were given either by the names of the researchers (for example, Knobloch's camel) or by their habitat (Alexandrian camel).

In total, modern scientists identify up to ten species of extinct camels. All of them were larger than modern ones, had very long necks, and looked somewhat like giraffes (but the resemblance is exclusively convergent). Alticamelus were common in the Cenozoic.

Bactrian with two humps

Camel species differ not only in the number of humps, but also in body size. The presence of two humps is the main feature by which you can easily determine that this is a Bactrian, but the height and weight of the animal are also important. The Bactrian camel is larger and heavier than its one-humped relative and all other members of the family included in other genera.

This species tolerates heat well, but it is not afraid of moderate frosts. But high humidity is destructive for Bactrian. It is found in Central and Central Asia, in Mongolia and the neighboring regions of China and Russia. People have developed many breeds of Bactrian, which are widely used on the farm as draft power or pack animals. Camel meat and milk are very valuable, which is why they occupy an important place in the national cuisines of many nations. The thick fur of the Bactrian is of considerable interest. A large number of Camels of this species are kept in circuses and zoos.

Khaptagay

Most sources name only such types of camels as one-humped and two-humped. But some scientists tend to single out haptagai as separate species. The version is supported by the results of genetic studies and obvious external differences. Moreover, even the belief that Bactrian descended from the wild haptagai is questioned. Outwardly they are similar. But the wild camel is smaller than representatives of domestic meat breeds. The subspecies was first described by the famous researcher Przhevalsky. At the time of the scientist, the population of wild Bactrian camels was much larger than it is now.

Currently, there are only a few hundred haptagai. All kinds of studies of these animals make it possible to better study them and determine measures that will help maintain the number of livestock. In addition, scientists are trying to establish the degree of relationship between Bactrians. Perhaps these are still different types of camels, but at present official science does not recognize this.

Dromedar - ship of the desert

The one-humped camel is common in the Middle East and North Africa, in Asia Minor. He is also unusually hardy, unpretentious, and strong. Man domesticated the wild dromedary camel several thousand years ago, and since then the dromedary has been an integral part of the world order of several nations. Like its two-humped brother, it is of great value on the farm.

Dromedaries are not found in nature. The ancestors of this animal, which did not lend themselves to domestication, became extinct at the dawn of our era. There is information about wild dromedaries, but these are not autochthons, but wild animals that once lived with humans. And such cases are rare. There is no talk of identifying dromedaries that are lost or have run away from home as a separate species.

By comparing the types of camels, photos of which are presented in this article, you can easily identify a dromedary by the presence of a luxurious hump.

In 2003, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature decided to separate the wild and domesticated forms of the Bactrian camel. The Latin name Camelus bactrianus was retained for domestic animals, while wild camels were given the name Camelus ferus. Active development of production natural gas and oil, development of new fields, general pollution environment, sport and commercial hunting are not all the factors that led to a sharp drop in the number of Bactrian camels. Over the past three generations, the global population has declined by about 80%. Crossing with the domestic camel also played a negative role. Scientists estimate that the wild population of the Bactrian camel declines by 25–30 individuals every year. As of 2002, only 800 Bactrian camels remained in the wild.

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

The Bactrian camel lives in Central and Central Asia, Mongolia, and some areas of the Asian part of Russia. Another name for the Bactrian camel is Bactrian, it comes from the name of the ancient Asian region of Bactria and is used mainly in cases where they talk about domestic Bactrian camels.

HOW TO FIND OUT

The two-humped camel is larger and more massive than the one-humped camel. Its height together with humps reaches 2.7 m, and average weight- 500–600 kg. He has a dense, wiry build. Elastic standing humps are good sign animal fatness. The distance between the humps is usually within 30 cm, so a person can easily fit in this comfortable hollow. A camel does not have hooves as such; its limbs end in calloused claws. The wool has a brownish-sandy tint. It is quite long and thick. Due to the fact that each wool is hollow inside, wool has low thermal conductivity. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, the Bactrian changes its fur outfit. At this time he looks very sloppy and unkempt.

LIFESTYLE AND BIOLOGY

The Bactrian camel is a very hardy and resilient animal. It perfectly tolerates temperature changes characteristic of a sharply continental climate, can go without water for a long time and be content with rough, low-nutrient food. The only thing that is not suitable for an animal is dampness. They live in herds of 5 to 20 animals. Each herd has a male leader, several females and young animals.

Puberty occurs at the age of five to eight years. The rut occurs in the fall; during this period, males demonstrate their strength and superiority in every possible way, herd females into groups and constantly control their behavior. On the back of the camel's head there are glands, with the secretion of which it marks the territory by bending its neck and touching the ground with the back of its head. A female can give birth to a baby once every two years, with pregnancy lasting about 13 months. From the first moments of life, the baby camel follows its mother; it remains next to her, breastfed, for about another year and a half. Interestingly, two-humped and one-humped camels can interbreed with each other, producing viable offspring. However, males born from representatives of two different types, are no longer capable of becoming parents.

The Bactrian camel is perfectly adapted to feeding on steppe and desert plants. Ephedras, solyankas, onions - this is not the entire list of what Bactrian tastes. Animals need water to live; in their habitats they are strongly attached to reservoirs and springs. Large groups camels accumulate after rains on the banks of rivers or at the foot of mountains, where temporary floods form. In winter, animals make do with snow to quench their thirst, thus restoring fluid reserves in the body. Wild individuals, unlike domestic ones, can drink salt water.

The main enemies of the Bactrian camel are the tiger and the wolf. In addition, he is highly susceptible to various diseases.

The Bactrian camel was domesticated around 2500 BC, with the process occurring independently in several countries. Its exceptional endurance has made it the main pet of many Asian peoples. The wild camel was first described as a species in 1878 by the famous Russian explorer N. M. Przhevalsky.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF

• Kingdom: Animalia.
• Phylum: Chordata.
• Class: Mammals (Mammalia).
• Order: Artiodactyla (Artiodactyla).
• Family: Camelids (Camelidae).
• Genus: Camels (Camelus).
• Species: Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus).