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.

Once upon a time, wild camels were 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.

The largest representative of the callosopod suborder.

Taxonomy

Russian name - Bactrian camel
Latin name - Camelus bactrianus
English name - Domestic bactrian camel
Order - artiodactyla (Artiodactyla)
Suborder - callosopods (Tylopoda)
Family - camelids (Camelidae)
Genus - camels (Camelus)

There are wild and domestic Bactrian camels. The wild camel in Mongolia, its homeland, is called haptagai, in contrast to the domestic one - bactrian (the word comes from the name of the ancient region in Central Asia, Bactria).

Conservation status of the species

The domestic Bactrian camel is a common animal in Central Asia, Mongolia and China. In Russia, the largest number of camels are kept in Buryatia and Kalmykia. The world population exceeds 2 million animals.

The wild Bactrian camel is a very rare animal, listed in the IUCN Red List, in the CR category - a species in critical danger of extinction. The population of these animals numbers only a few hundred individuals. According to some reports, the wild camel is the eighth most endangered mammal in terms of threat.

Species and man

The domestic Bactrian camel has long been an important pet in many areas of Asia. First of all, it is a reliable vehicle in desert conditions. People use milk, meat, skin, and camel wool, from which they make a wide variety of knitted and felted products. Even the dung of this animal is very valuable: it serves as an excellent fuel.

The domestication of camels dates back to ancient times. The earliest archaeological information about the breeding of Bactrians dates back to the 7th–6th millennia BC. e. A number of sources indicate that domestic camels appeared about 4,500 years ago. The discovery of a vessel with dung from a Bactrian camel and the remains of the camel’s hair, made during excavations of ancient settlements in eastern Iran, dates back to 2500 BC. e. One of the oldest images of a domestic camel being led by the bridle by a man dates back to the 9th century BC. e. It is carved on the famous Black Obelisk of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III and is now in the British Museum. Another image was discovered in the ruins of the Apadana Hall of the Palace. Persian kings in Persepolis, dating back to the 5th century. BC e.

The Bactrian camel has survived in the wild and was first described as a species in 1878 by the famous Russian explorer N. M. Przhevalsky in Mongolia. Currently, the population of the “savage” continues to decline, mainly due to poaching and competition with livestock.

The domestic camel is somewhat different from the wild one, which gives some scientists reason to distinguish them as separate species, or at least subspecies. The question of the direct origin of Bactrian from the modern wild camel also remains open.

The largest representative of the order Callopods

The largest representative of the order Callopods

The largest representative of the order Callopods

The largest representative of the order Callopods

The largest representative of the order Callopods

The largest representative of the order Callopods

The largest representative of the order Callopods

Distribution and habitats

The wild camel in the past apparently occurred over a vast area of ​​much of Central Asia. Now the range of khaptagai (as the locals call it) is small and is represented by four broken areas in Mongolia and China.

The domestic Bactrian camel is bred primarily in the steppe and semi-desert regions of eastern Central Asia, Mongolia and neighboring territories of Russia and China; The world population of Bactrians exceeds 2 million. Breeds of domestic camels have been bred: Kazakh, Kalmyk and Mongolian, which differ in size, quality of coat, shape and size of humps.
As for the modern life of wild Bactrian camels, they constantly migrate from one area to another, but mainly their habitats are rocky, desert plains and foothills with sparse and rough vegetation and rare sources of water. However, camels need water to survive; groups of camels in their habitats are strongly attached to reservoirs and springs. After the rains, groups of camels gather on the banks of rivers or at the foot of mountains, where temporary floods form. In winter, camels make do with snow to quench their thirst. Wild camels are also found in mountainous areas, and they move so well on steep slopes that they are not much inferior to mountain sheep.

In the hot season, haptagai rise quite high - it was noted that they are found at an altitude of 3300 m above sea level. In winter, animals migrate 300–600 km to the south and often stay in mountain valleys, which protect them from the wind, or along dry watercourses. If oases with poplar groves are not occupied by humans, the haptagai spend the winter, and especially autumn, near them. Wild camels are characterized by wide migrations during the day, even with an abundance of food, which is sometimes associated with watering places. Thus, observations have shown that camels can travel 80–90 km or even more per day.

Appearance and morphology

The appearance of the Bactrian camel is so unique and characteristic that it cannot be confused with any other animal. Bactrians are very large animals - the height at the withers often exceeds 2 meters and can reach 2.3 meters, the height of the body with humps is up to 2.7 m. An adult male camel weighs on average about 500 kg, but often much more - up to 800 and even 1000 kg. Females are smaller: 320–450 kg, in rare cases up to 800 kg.

A barrel-shaped body on long knobby legs, with the hind legs as if attached to the general contour of the body, a long curved neck, quite big head with expressive eyes, pubescent double rows of eyelashes and, of course, humps - this is a camel. In a well-fed camel, the humps stand straight, and their shape is individual for each animal; in a thin camel, the humps completely or partially fall to one side, but rise again when the animal eats itself. The name of the suborder - callosalfoot - is due to the structure of the leg, ending in a forked foot resting on a callus pad, which in Bactrian is very wide, allowing the animal to walk on loose soil. On the front of the foot there is a kind of claw or small hoof. The tail is quite short, with a tuft of long hair at the end. The lips of camels are unusual - they are very mobile, at the same time fleshy, tough, adapted to tearing off the coarsest and thorniest vegetation. The upper lip of all camelids is forked. The ears are round and very small, almost indistinguishable from a great distance. On the back of the head there are paired glands, especially developed in the male, the black, viscous and odorous secretion of which is used for marking territory.

The color of the camel is brown-sand of various shades, from almost white to dark chestnut. The coat is very thick and long (about 7 cm on the body, and up to 30 cm or even more on the bottom of the neck and on the tops of the humps). The structure of the Bactrian's fur is similar to that of the inhabitants of the North - the polar bear and the reindeer: the guard hairs are like tubes, hollow inside. Together with the thick undercoat, this contributes to the low thermal conductivity of the camel's coat. Moulting in camels is also unique - it begins with the onset of warm days and proceeds very quickly. The old fur falls out, coming off the body in large tufts, or even layers, and the new one does not have time to grow during this time, so at the end of May - June the camel in the zoo is practically “naked”. However, 2-3 weeks pass, and the handsome Bactrian is covered with smooth, thick, velvety hair, which will become especially long by winter.

Camels have several morphological and physiological features that allow them to survive in extreme conditions. harsh conditions. The camel suffers dehydration that is fatal to all other animals. This animal can survive by losing up to 40% of water in its body (other animals die with a loss of 20% of water). A camel's kidneys can absorb much of the water from urine and return it to the body, so the urine produced is extremely concentrated. The erythrocytes (red blood cells) of camels are oval (in all other mammals they are round), so the blood maintains normal fluidity even with severe thickening, since the narrow oval erythrocytes pass through the capillaries without obstruction. In addition, camel red blood cells have the ability to accumulate liquid, increasing in volume up to 2.5 times. Bactrian manure is much more concentrated than cattle manure - it contains 6–7 times less water and consists of a mixture of coarse, almost dry plant fibers (Bactrian manure is well formed in the form of oblong pellets measuring 4x2x2 cm). When severely dehydrated, a camel noticeably loses weight, but when given access to water, it restores its normal appearance literally before our eyes.

A number of features external structure It also allows you to maximize the savings of water reserves in the body. Water evaporation is minimized because the camel keeps its nostrils tightly closed, opening them only during inhalation and exhalation. The camel's ability to thermoregulate is also known. Unlike other mammals, a camel begins to sweat only if its body temperature reaches +41 °C, and its further increase becomes life-threatening. At night, a camel’s body temperature can drop to +34 °C.

The fat contained in the humps is not broken down into water, as was believed for a long time, but plays the role of a food reserve for the body. It also serves to insulate the camel's body, accumulating primarily on the back, which is most exposed to the sun's rays. If fat were evenly distributed throughout the body, it would prevent heat from leaving the body. Both humps can contain up to 150 kg of fat.

Lifestyle and social organization

The Bactrian camel is an animal that is active during daylight hours. At night he either sleeps or is inactive and busy chewing gum. During hurricanes, camels can lie motionless for several days. In inclement weather, they try to hide in bushes or ravines; in extreme heat, they willingly walk, fanning themselves with their tails, against the wind with their mouths open, lowering their body temperature.

As for social organization, the maintenance of domestic Bactrian camels is under the control of a person who comprehensively determines their life. If camels happen to go wild, they restore social structure, characteristic of its wild ancestor. Wild Bactrian camels live in small herds of 5–20 heads (sometimes up to 30), mainly consisting of females and young animals; the leader is the dominant male. Adult males are often found alone. A herd of camels can also include young, sexually mature males, but only outside the rutting period.

Nutrition and feeding behavior

The Bactrian camel is a herbivore and can feed on the roughest and least nutritious food. It is able to eat plants with such spines that no other animal is able to eat. The camel's diet is quite varied. Of course, they love cereals, they eat camel thorn with pleasure, but they also quite willingly eat shrub and semi-shrub saltworts, onions, barnyard grass, parsifolia with its juicy large leaves, they eat ephedra and young shoots of saxaul, and in the fall in the oases - poplar leaves and reeds. When camels are hungry, they can eat animal bones and skins, and even objects made from them. The Bactrian camel is able to withstand very long periods of fasting. It is so adapted to meager food that for the health of a domestic camel, constant underfeeding may be better than abundant nutrition.

Camels show equally high endurance in relation to water. For example, wild camels come to springs no more than once every few days. If they are disturbed there, they can go without water for two or even three weeks - especially in the summer, when there is a lot of moisture in the plants after the rains. The Bactrian camel is notable for its ability to drink brackish water from desert reservoirs without harm to health. This, however, apparently only applies to wild camels - domestic ones avoid drinking salt water. In general, the animal's need for salt is very high - for this reason, domestic camels need to ensure the constant availability of salt bars. Camels in general, and Bactrian camels in particular, are known for their ability to drink in one sitting. great amount water. In case of severe dehydration, Bactrian can drink up to 100 liters at a time.

If there is a good food supply, both wild and domestic camels become very fat by autumn. But camels suffer more than, for example, horses in winter from deep snow and especially ice, since due to the lack of real hooves, they cannot, like horses, dig out the snow and feed on the vegetation underneath it.

Vocalization

Camels are not particularly talkative creatures. However, during the rut, males are characterized by a loud roar, which is heard very often. Excited animals make sounds similar to muttering and loud whistles. Cubs calling their mothers roar in higher voices; mothers respond with the same sounds, but lower in frequency.

Reproduction and raising offspring

Female camels become adults at the age of 2–3 years, males somewhat later, sometimes at 5–6 years. The rut of Bactrian camels occurs in the fall. At this time, males behave very aggressively. They attack other males and even try to mate with them, constantly roar loudly, run and rush about; foam comes out of their mouth. Animals make sounds similar to muttering and a sharp, drawn-out whistle. During the rut, dominant males herd females into groups and do not allow them to disperse. In this state, a male camel can be dangerous to both humans and animals. Male domestic camels are often tied or isolated when signs of the rut occur for safety reasons. In Mongolia, rutting camels kept on free grazing wear warning red bands around their necks.

Rutting males often engage in fierce fights with each other, during which they crush the enemy with their necks, trying to bend them to the ground and knock them down. Usually calm and submissive male camels at the moment of sexual arousal become dangerous, vicious, they can attack using their fangs, and beat with their front and hind legs. If teeth are used (usually they grab the opponent’s head with their teeth) or legs, then serious injuries are possible, including the death of one of the fighters. In herds of domestic camels, sometimes only the intervention of shepherds saves the weaker camel from severe injuries. It happens that wild camels attack herds of domestic camels, kill the males and take away the females - therefore, Mongolian shepherds in the Trans-Altai Gobi drive herds of domestic camels away from the desert, into the mountains during the rut, in order to protect them from the raids of the haptagai.

During the rut, males actively use their occipital glands to mark territory, arching their necks and touching their heads to the ground and stones. They also spray their own urine on their hind legs and spread the urine over the back of their body using their tail. The female does the same. Mating in camels occurs while lying down. At the moment of mating, the male Bactrian foams from his mouth, loudly grinds his teeth, and throws his head back. After 13 months of pregnancy, the female gives birth to one camel. It weighs between 35 and 45 kg, which is approximately 5–7% of the mother's weight. Interestingly, a Bactrian camel weighs much less at birth (both absolutely and relative to the mother) than a one-humped camel, which weighs about 100 kg.

A newborn camel is able to follow its mother almost immediately (after about two hours). It has small rudiments of humps without internal fat, but already at the age of one or two months the humps take on a vertical position and become rounded at the base. The cub feeds exclusively on milk until 3–4 months, at which time it begins to try plant foods, but sucks for a long time. Lactation in a female lasts 1.5 years, and there are cases when grown cubs suckled their mothers at the same time as their younger newborn brothers. Camel cubs grow quickly; after reaching maturity, growth slows down, but stops only at the age of 7 years.

At the age of 3–4 years, males leave the maternal herd, form bachelor groups, and later acquire their own harem. A camel gives birth, as a rule, once every 2 years.

Lifespan

Camels live quite a long time, up to 40–50 years.

Keeping animals at the Moscow Zoo

Camels are not only one of the most common animals in zoos, but also one of the most beloved. What child would leave the zoo without seeing a camel! In the history of the Moscow Zoo, it seems, there was no period when we lived without camels, and both two-humped and one-humped camels were kept. Each had their own character, their own habits. The one-humped camel Pan was a feisty one and always tried to grab a person passing by by the head. And the two-humped giant Senya, who came to us from VDNKh, was, on the contrary, an amazing kind person.

When the zoo was being reconstructed, animals were transferred from one area to another. The camel Manka, Senya’s friend, was completely tame and simply followed the call of a familiar person who was holding a piece of bread in his hand. And a funny thing happened to Senya. The staff did not know that he had been bridle trained before and expected the camel to move away from the accessory. Senya, joyfully, but rather sharply moved his huge forehead head towards the man with the bridle, which caused quite great fear. It turned out that he was simply delighted with an object familiar from childhood and, happily putting on the bridle, calmly crossed Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Street.

Now the camel can be seen in the New Territory of the zoo; its enclosure is located opposite the entrance to the Exotarium. This is a female, more than 20 years ago she came from the Astrakhan region and now lives with Przhealsky horses, and this company suits everyone quite well. The animals do not show the slightest hostility towards each other, but if the horse presses its ears back (and this is a sign of dissatisfaction), the camel moves away. The camel often approaches visitors, who run away exclaiming: “Oh, he’s about to spit!” There is no need to be afraid, this peace-loving animal spits extremely rarely, only at veterinarians when it is being vaccinated. You don’t need to feed him either; all the animals in the zoo receive the food they need and is healthy for them. The camel is given hay, branches (which it prefers to hay), a mixture of cut vegetables and oats. Be sure to have a salt lick with a special set of salts in the feeder. The beast comes to talk to you. Smile at him!

One of the amazing animals on our earth is the camel. He is curious not only with his appearance, but also with his way of life. Therefore, many are interested in finding out the name of the Bactrian camel and fun facts associated with it.

What is it called

First, you should know that this animal can be domestic or wild. Mongolia is considered the birthplace of Bactrian camels. There this wild animal is known as "haptagai". The domestic Bactrian camel is called a Bactrian. The animal received this name in honor of the ancient region of Bactiria, which was located in This species is the largest of the camelid family.

Species distribution

Many people do not know the name of the Bactrian camel, but this is not surprising, since in our area you can only meet this exotic animal in a zoo. But in Central Asia and Mongolia it is a common pet. It is also bred in some in China. Worldwide, the number of Bactrians exceeds two million. But the wild representative of this family is very much in danger of extinction. According to some reports, the haptagai ranks eighth on the list of endangered mammals. In total, their number varies within about several hundred heads. Mostly haptagai can be found in some parts of Mongolia and China.

Relationship with a person

The Bactrian camel (name - Bactrian) plays a huge role in the life of Asian people. For the population that lives in desert districts, this animal is necessary vehicle. They also shear camels to make woolen items such as rugs, blankets, felt boots, capes, clothes and more. But the skin, meat and milk of the animal are also used. In addition, the dung of the Bactrian camel is also valuable, since it produces good fuel.

Appearance

This animal is so unusual that it cannot be confused with other mammals. The Bactrian or Bactrian camel, the photo of which is shown below, is quite large and weighs on average 500 kilograms. But heavier individuals are often found. If you measure the animal by the withers, it will exceed two meters, and if you take the height along with the humps, it can reach 2.7 m.

The animal has a long bent neck and lanky legs. Instead of hooves there is a cloven foot and wide calloused pads. In addition, on each leg there are processes that resemble a claw.

Also, the Bactrian camel, whose name is Bactrian, can have a different color from almost white to brown. The wool is quite thick and long, and is hollow inside to provide poor thermal conductivity. They also have an undercoat. Camels molt in summer, changing their coats. The old fur falls out quickly, and the animal can remain “naked” for a couple of weeks until a new coat grows.

animal hump

The humps are of greatest interest. They can be of various shapes, which often depend on the condition of the camel. For example, if an animal is hungry, the humps may hang down; in an animal that has eaten, they are restored and rise again. This is explained by the fact that these “bags” contain fat (a total of about 150 kg), which is the body’s nutrition reserve. These growths also serve as thermal insulators for the animal. In addition, the Bactrian Bactrian camel is a convenient transport, since the distance between its “bags” is approximately 30 centimeters, this is enough for an adult to fit there.

Features of camels

This animal has special physiological characteristics that allow it to survive in adverse conditions. For example, a camel can suffer severe dehydration, while other animals die in such circumstances. With a strong loss of moisture in the body, this mammal noticeably loses weight, but when it has the opportunity to drink, its weight is restored almost immediately. In addition, the camel is able to accumulate and retain liquid until a certain point.

Lifestyle

This animal is diurnal and prefers to rest at night. Their main enemies are wolves and tigers. The Bactrian camel (name - Bactrian) lives according to the “schedule” set by the owner of the animal. But wild individuals keep in herds of up to 20 heads and obey the dominant male. Basically, in this family there are only females and young animals.

Rutting period

At the age of two, females are ready to have offspring. Male camels become sexually mature by age five. In autumn the rutting season begins. Often at this time, owners put males on a leash, since they become dangerous to surrounding animals and humans. They attack their opponents, rush about, roar and foam. If the male is dominant, he keeps the females in one place, not allowing them to disperse. Camels often engage in fights during this period. Even calm animals become ferocious during the mating season. They use their powerful neck, trying to pin the opponent to the ground, use their fangs, grabbing the legs and throat, and kick the enemy. In this case, if the owner does not disperse the camels, serious injuries and even death are possible for the weak male.

During the rutting period, haptagai can become dangerous to their domestic counterparts. They are able to break into the pen, kill the males and take away the females. Therefore, these days, shepherds take their animals to the mountains away from danger.

After mating, the female bears the offspring for 13 months. Only one baby camel is born, weighing no more than 45 kilos. Within two hours after birth, the baby is able to follow his mother independently. Lactation is long, about a year and a half. But a baby camel can chew already in the third month. The female is capable of giving birth once in two years. At the age of 4 years, male camels gather in groups, and over time, each of them organizes his own “harem”.

Amazing details

One of the most unusual mammals, of course, is the Bactrian camel. Interesting facts about this animal are no less fascinating:

• One individual is capable of drinking 200 liters of water at a time.
• If the animal decides to rest or sleep, it cannot be forced to get up. It will only get up when it wants to.
• These herbivores can eat hard thorns without scratching their lips and mouth.
• The camel's nostrils are able to close when necessary (for example, to keep moisture out or during sandstorms to prevent sand from getting inside).
• If a hurricane begins in its territory of residence, the camel can remain in a lying, motionless state for several days.
• Each leg of the animal is capable of kicking in four directions.
• They can do without water if they eat green plants (camels get moisture from them).
• One of the defensive abilities is spitting. If you provoke a camel, it will draw an unpleasant mixture from its stomach, which it will “reward” the enemy with.
• The fur of this animal has the ability to reflect rays, which allows it not to overheat while moving through the desert.
• The name of the Bactrian camel “haptagai” appeared thanks to the local residents.
• Camel excrement is very dry, so it is used for heating. They give an even, almost smokeless warm flame.
• They have an excellent memory, which helps them not to get lost among the many dunes.
• Camels have keen eyesight. The animal sees movement in the desert a kilometer away.
• The camel's sense of smell allows it to survive, as it can smell water sixty kilometers away.
• IN bad weather the animal is trying to hide. If it is too hot outside, camels begin to walk against the wind, opening their mouths, to cool down a little and avoid overheating. They also use their tail for fanning.
• Although special vehicles and navigators have been invented for moving through the desert, the most reliable assistant is still the Bactrian camel, whose name is Bactrian.
• People use the fat that is in the “bags” of the animal for food. It is suitable for frying and is valued higher than beef.
• Camels do not tolerate dampness very well.
• They are very susceptible to disease.
• A wild camel can even be content with salt water; a domestic camel is not adapted to this.
• They can live up to 50 years.

Very a large number of people, in the summer, are going to take a vacation and go abroad. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a huge number of holiday options - from seaside resorts in Greece to beautiful views streets of Paris. But if suddenly you are drawn to the exotic and you decide to go to Asia for a vacation, there is a very high probability that during your trip you will encounter an amazing animal - the Bactrian camel, which is also called the Mongolian camel.

What kind of animal is that

Characteristics:

• These mammals are tall and heavy.
• Their survival abilities are mind-blowing.
• Domestic camels are quite apathetic and not very active.

As you can understand, the Bactrian camel is not a very accurate name. You may ask, what is the correct name for a Bactrian camel? Bactrian - as more educated people call them, is observed in areas with a very dry climate due to the characteristics of its physiology. So, he lasts a huge amount of time without water and food, but without experiencing much discomfort.

But also, extremely high or low temperature. Thick fur protects representatives of this species in cold winter. Because of these features, they can most often be found in the semi-desert regions of central and central Asia, Mongolia, and in smaller numbers in the neighboring territories of Russia and China. The Bactrian camel is one of the most frequent guests in animal circuses, which is why it can be seen not only in Asia, but also in the CIS countries of the region.

Characteristic

The Bactrian camel is quite tall. At the withers, its height exceeds that of a human and in some cases reaches 230 centimeters, although most often their height remains about two meters. Many people who saw a Mongolian camel in the circus could not help but notice the visual grandeur of this animal, and wondered how much a camel weighs. We have the answer to this question! Representatives of different sexes do not weigh the same.

So, an adult male can weigh from 500 kilograms, but there are often cases when there were individuals weighing about 800 kilograms. Female Mongolian animals weigh significantly less, and their weight range is 320–450 kilograms. However, knowing all this, the question arises: at what age can an individual be considered an adult?

At the age of 7, they stop growing, and their total life expectancy is on average about 20 years, but there were representatives who lived up to 50. Their beautiful fur comes in different colors depending on the breed. There are a large number of color variations, but the most valuable are considered cream-colored Bactrian camels. The most common colors are brown, gray or almost black and pure white.

Bactrian camels have a number of physiological characteristics that significantly increase their survival rate. Thus, these are the only mammals that have the ability to lose 40 percent of water from the body and still remain alive. When severe dehydration occurs in Bactrian camels, the appearance, but if they get access to water, then you can see changes before your eyes. So, within an hour after drinking water he will look completely healthy.

The Bactrian camel is undoubtedly herd animal. They usually form a herd of up to twenty individuals. Most of all, females and young animals can be found in herds, since with age they can begin to travel independently, this leads to the fact that camels can often be found walking around completely alone.

Although the survival rate of camels allows them go without water for a long time, their habitat forces them to gather near bodies of water, since they are not so often found in desert or rocky areas. camels in winter they drink water just like snow. Bactrian camels active during the day. At night they can be active, but in very rare cases, and to say that their activity is insignificant is to say nothing.

Domestic individuals have such a calm character that from the outside it looks like complete apathy.

Nutrition

The Bactrian camel is a herbivore, and its biological need for survival leads it to feed on even the most inedible plants for other herbivores. And also, their survival has led to the fact that if they eat a lot of food, it affects their health worse than prolonged fasting.

Reproduction

Bactrian camels have Possibility of reproduction as early as 5 years, although this age can come either later or much earlier. Pregnancy in females lasts approximately 12 months.

Bottom line

If you want to take part in exotic trips to the countries of central or Central Asia, then it is quite logical to assume that you will meet these animals. The main things you need to remember:

• Camels can go without water for a long time.
• These mammals are not very picky eaters.
• You can use them as transport.
• Not aggressive and quite apathetic.

Knowing all this, you will be ready to get up close and personal with these creatures.

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 natural gas and oil production, 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, including humps, reaches 2.7 m, and its average weight is 500–600 kg. He has a dense, wiry build. Elastic, erect humps are a good sign of the animal’s 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 head the camel has 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 of 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).