Camels By: Abby DiLaura

About Camels A camel is an even-toed

ungulate within the genus Camelus.

There are two species of camels. The Dromedary or Arabian camel has one hump. The Bactrian camel has two humps.

Camels are native to dry deserts of West Asia, Central, and East Asia.

The average life of a camel is 40 to50 years.

Why Camels have humps

Camels have humps because they are essential for the camels survival in hot, dry weather where food and water is not easily accessed. The hump stores nutrients and water in the from of fat.

Do camels have split hooves like cattle or round hooves like horses?

Camels have split hooves just like cattle they have to toes to keep balance in the desert so they don’t fall.

This is a cattle hoof!

This is a camel hoof!

How to ride on a camel How to ride a camel

is different than how to ride a horse. The problem with camels, besides their disposition, their body odor and tendency to go to the bath room unexpectedly, is the way they walk.

What camels eat The food that camels eat

depend on whether they are domesticated, feral or living in zoos. In the wild, camels will eat just about anything as it is very hard to find food. They eat plants, dried leaves, seeds, bones, fish meat and even leather! Domesticated camels (those raised by people) are usually fed dates, grass, wheat and oats. In zoos, camels are fed hay and dry grass- about 3.5 kilograms of food everyday!

Websites

http://www.imagineafrica.co.uk/images/ken-sabuk-camels.jpg http://www.thewilds.org/graphics/what/animals/bactrian_camels.j

pg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_camels_have_humps http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_saSL-Bu1xNY/SOnWaOgx3jI/AAAAAAAA

Ahw/x7DXUhD_hZw/s400/camel_hoof_6.jpg http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/6868970/2/i

stockphoto_6868970-cow-hoof-macro.jpg http://adventuretravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_ride_a_ca

mel http://wanttoknowit.com/what-do-camels-eat/