A Domesticated Camel’s Role in Trade

Dating back many hundreds of years, the domesticated camel has played a large role in revolutionizing the abilities of mankind in desert regions. They have been integral in advancing techniques for travel, trade, and survival in some of the most severe regions on the globe. Their role is most prevalent in Africa and the regions surrounding the Sahara desert. In countries such as the Sudan, Morocco, and Egypt, there are millions of camels living and working in domesticated society. In many instances, they are Read more »

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A Domesticated Camel’s Role in Civilization

Camels were most likely domesticated between 3000 BC and 1500 BC. We do know that by 1000 BC, camels were used extensively as beasts of burden to transport precious goods up and down the west coast of Arabia and were very important for trade between India and Mesopotamia. Today, the vast majority of camels are domesticated or in captivity.

Camels were and still are highly valued for their ability to derive water from the fat stored in their humps. This makes them ideal for desert conditions where water is often scarce. Throughout history, camels have been used as beasts of burden, as military Read more »

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In Praise of the Remarkable Camel

You must appreciate the fact that not only do camels live in the most barren, desolate areas in the world but they actually thrive in these areas. These huge one or two humped creatures command respect not only for their size and occasional irascible temperament when mistreated, but also for their adaptability and fortitude.

Some other reasons to bow in recognition of the Remarkable Camel include its ability to eat, not unlike a goat, almost anything while going for miles and days without water, despite their immense size. They have 3 eyelids and nostrils that close helping them Read more »

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The Herbivore Diet of the Camel

There are very few Camels that exist in the wild today. And, since they are predominantly domesticated animals, their owners provide most of their food. There are two species of camels; Bactrian Camels, and Dromedary Camels. They both eat many types of vegetation including; grasses, dried leaves, seeds, and many different types of plants. Especially Dromedary Camels eat a great variety of plants that even include salty types and plants with thorns; they also forage on bones and dried animal carcasses.
Camels regurgitate their food similar Read more »

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The Desolate, Arid Climates vs. Survival Strategies of Camels

You may have heard people say, “A camel is a horse that’s been put together by a committee.” That saying refers, of course, to the unattractive appearance of the camel. But the student of biology and evolution knows that nothing could be farther from the truth. The fact is, the body of the camel is excellently suited to the harsh desert environment in which it evolved. Consider the following:

1) Its thick coat provides insulation against both the heat of day and Read more »

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The Amazing Camel – Nomads of the Land

Camels are fascinating animals, and are named for the Arabic word meaning “beauty”. These animals are designed to thrive in areas of the world where very few can, and have done so for centuries.

Camels are primarily desert dwellers, and can go for long periods without water. They can do this because they are extremely efficient with their resources. When they do drink, however, they can drink up to thirty gallons in ten minutes. Most people think that camels Read more »

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Increasing Camel Awareness

Since Joe Camel was banned from broadcasts in 1997, national CPC (not cost per click, rather camels per channel) has declined drastically over the past decade plus, resulting in completely inadequate camel coverage. There simply aren’t many camels in the Americas, the few present residing in captivity, making it difficult for much of the population to truly understand the animal’s majesty in its natural habitat. Despite numerous petitions to Directv, Time Warner, Dish Network, among a host of other major television service providers, it seems the public’s outcry for a dedicated “camel channel” has failed to make an urgent impact, falling largely on deaf ears.Even in the heyday of cigarette ads, representation of real life camels has always been underwhelming at best. The sad truth is that many issues facing the camel family of species in nature go underreported in Western nations. It is commonly assumed that because camel populations have overrun certain areas or arid land, camels are alive and well without need for human assistance or compassion. While one-humped camels, or Dromedary camels, abound in terms of total number, their Bactrian camel brethren has fared less favorably in the ongoing evolutionary survival scale. Over thirteen million dromedary camels walk the desert today, domesticated in Northern Africa, the Middle East and the Outback.On the other hand, Bactrian camels,of the two-humped variety, have been domesticated with less frequency, with only 1.4 million estimated to still be in existence. In fact, wild Bactrian camels are listed as “Critically Endangered” according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Only close to 800 Bactrian camels currently roam their natural habitat in remote parts of China and Mongolia, with no significant presence elsewhere. This may be of little concern to some who interpret the gaudy 1.4 million number as an adequate number for preservation; however, the wild Bactrian camel is genetically unique, even compared to its domesticated counterpart. Read more »

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Where Camel Meets Class

There you are in your little black dress, posted up at the bar in some high-rise hotel, topping off a long evening out on the town. Your left hand slowly begins to lift a toothpick-pierced olive from the bottom of your chilled martini glass, when all of a sudden an animalistic allure snaps your attention across the smoke-filled room. Your mind racing in disbelief, you feel as if your eyes must have betrayed you. Squinting inquisitively towards the looming presence, still trying to mask your obvious attraction, the strapping brown figure ambles towards you in a well-calculated stroll. Finally taming the wild butterflies spinning circles deep in your stomach, you turn to ask, “Excuse me sir, is that a camel?” Read more »

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Cartoon Killer or One Cool Camel?

You may remember Joe Camel from the Camel cigarette advertising campaigns dating from 1987 to 1997. After all, he is indisputably the most famous camel to have never lived (probably tops among the breathing variety as well, unless you can name a few off the top of your head). But while all his friends seemed to agree Joe Camel was pretty much the coolest guy around, how much do you really know about Joe Camel?Joe Camel was first caricatured in 1974 by British artist Billy Coulton, later used in a French ad campaign running internationally throughout the late 70′s. Though his initial purpose was not to sell cigarettes, the inspiration for the original Joe Camel drawing was in fact a carton of Camel smokes. The camel on the carton was commonly known as “Old Joe” around the company, so to commemorate its 75th anniversary of Old Joe, the new Joe Camel advertising campaign was introduced in the United States in 1987. Read more »

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New Cows on the Block

Trying to stick to a healthy, yet delicious, diet, but traditional dairy milk seems to be standing in your way? Don’t worry, this isn’t a thinly veiled plug for soy milk, but there may soon be another alternative to your bovine beverage issues. The European Union health officials recently cleared the way for the United Arab Emirates to begin exporting camel milk. After a thorough examination of the milking facilities, camel milk could soon find its way to grocery store shelves across Europe, with the United States and Asia expected to follow in the not too distant future. The Dubai based company Camelicious (yes, this is the real company name, not to mention a pretty sweet replacement nickname if you’ve been saddled with “Quasimodo”) hopes that more Western countries will soon follow suit, making camel milk easily accessible in major markets worldwide. Read more »

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