Camel, I Did

The Herbivore Diet of the Camel

admin — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

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 to cows. They have a special digestive system that allows them to eat indigestible foods by re-chewing them as “cud.” The “cud” can then be swallowed again for further digestion.
It is widely known that camels have the ability to go without water for extensive periods of time.” They obtain water from the plants that they eat, and when they do get the chance to drink actual water, they drink enormous amounts. This helps to sustain them on the long journeys that they are known to take that last for many miles, carrying goods and people through hot, arid deserts. Camels are referred to as the “ship of the desert” because of their endurance; their ability to cope with burdens carried on long trips in severe climates.

The Desolate, Arid Climates vs. Survival Strategies of Camels

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

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 the cold of night.

2) The hair inside its ears keep the sand from coming in.

3) The hump stores energy in the form of fat when food is hard to come by.

4) Its eyes have double rows of interlocking eyelashes and a thin see – through inner eyelid as protection against sun and blowing sand.

5) Its nostrils can be tightened, again to keep out blowing sand.

6) Its upper lip is split to grasp food, so the tongue won’t have to be exposed to dry air.

7) Its long legs perch it above the hot sand and also enable it to see far.

The camel is one of nature’s most marvelous feats of biological engineering.

The Amazing Camel – Nomads of the Land

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

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 are storing their water in their famous humps, but actually, their fat is stored there. Because their fat is stored in their humps, camels are able to keep cooler in hot temperatures.

Dromedary camels (one hump) and Bactrian (two humps) camels can ride anywhere from 80 to 120 miles a day, and they can kick their legs in all four directions. They can be commanding 6 to 6.5 feet tall, and weigh anywhere from 550 to 1500 pounds.

The hardworking camel prefers fresh vegetation to eat, but is actually omnivorous, which means they will eat just about anything that is available to them if necessary. They especially enjoy salty plants, and actually need them because of their exposure to extreme heat.

Increasing Camel Awareness

www.camelidid.org — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

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. The Zoological Society of London includes the Bactrian camel among its list of the 100 most evolutionarily distinct but globally endangered animals, emphasizing the importance of keeping the small community of wild Bactrian camels sustainable. Losing the wild Bactrian camel all-together would entirely remove an inimitable animal from the Earth forever, a true tragedy. Yet, even many ecologically in-tune individuals see camels as sheep, failing to realize the importance regarding the survival of species within the camel family, as the priceless global treasure is too often viewed as a dime a dozen.

Where Camel Meets Class

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:39:04 +0000

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?”Taking a quick survey of his 38-Long jacket, with slim lapels and 3 buttons down the center, the gentleman looks up and softly whispers, “Why yes ma’am, one hundred percent.” It seems we’ve finally stumbled upon the reason camels can stride through the desert with an aura of self-assurance uncommon among most mammals. It’s their hair, though not the coarse outer layer that wards of sand and sun. A camel’s fine, soft undercoat lends itself to a striking palette of colors from gorgeous golden brown to distinguished shades of red and tan. Fortunately for those who lack a camel’s natural poise, cursing the day they were born without humps, now every well-dressed man can look in mirror with camel confidence. Camel hair sport coats, available in many fine clothing retail outlets, will have you looking and feeling as sharp as possible. Of course, half the battle with confidence is being comfortable. Fear not, the thermostatic nature of pure camel hair helps to balance out both a hot summer night and chilly winter evening, leaving camel-clad cavaliers dressed to impress no matter the time of year.

Cartoon Killer or One Cool Camel?

www.camelidid.org — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:31:02 +0000

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 75^th anniversary of Old Joe, the new Joe Camel advertising campaign was introduced in the United States in 1987. To say the least, Joe Camel was a raging success. While the alleged intended audience was, of course, adult smokers who currently chose other brands, Joe Camel was wildly popular among teens not of legal smoking age, thus the image quickly became a nationwide controversy. According to some estimates, before Joe Camel’s inception, Camel cigarettes controlled only 0.5 of the underage smoking market. Camel’s market share skyrocketed in the first few years with Joe Camel as the face of the company, rising to nearly 33 in just 4 years.It’s completely understandable why anyone in their teens, or of legal age for that matter, mind find Joe Camel appealing. After all, between his numerous trips to Vegas among many other seemingly fantastic vacation destinations, his mastery of all hobbies manly from motorcycles to billiards and his constant accompaniment of attractive young females, who wouldn’t want to hang out with the world’s hairiest jetsetter? The ‘Brown Bond’ disappeared in 1997, however, as cigarette ads containing cartoons and humans were declared illegal, joining the Marlboro Man in early retirement.

New Cows on the Block

www.camelidid.org — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:59:00 +0000

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.Camel milk actually has three times more vitamin C than that of their cow contemporaries, not to mention it can be digested by lactose intolerant drinkers. There is some speculation in the scientific community that camel milk might also help to fight bacteria, tumors and diabetes, as well as treat liver disease, though these studies are still ongoing. While the potential health benefits are undoubtedly a selling point, what most casual milk drinkers are primarily concerned with is taste. Camel milk is naturally saltier than cow milk, due to the differing diets of the two animal species. In the wild, camels consume large amounts of wild desert brush; however, in an effort to improve the taste, Camelicious feeds their camels an exclusive diet of hay, carrots and dates. Just like regular milk, flavoring can be added to turn camel milk into chocolate or strawberry milk as well.So if you find yourself struggling to stick with your healthy diet regimen, and dairy milk is one of your major pitfalls, perhaps camel milk can help to get you over the hump (sorry, I had to).

Call in the Camelry!

www.camelidid.org — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:16:41 +0000

It’s no surprise to see a statue of a famous war hero or general perched atop a noble steed, but how surprised might you be to find that his hoofed friend had humps? Cavalry operations have been common among in military outfits since nearly the beginning of warfare, predated by only infantry and chariotry, playing famous roles in countless conflicts whether part of the Roman Legion or Civil War troops. Soldiers have actually found themselves riding on the back of many beasts over the centuries. Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, was elephant aided in his from trek from the Iberian Peninsula across the Pyrenees and Alps mountain ranges to the boot of Italy. Camels of course, with their propensity for hauling heavy objects and endurance to travel great distances even under stressful conditions, were not left out of arsenal come wartime.The first use of soldiers riding on camelback in combat occurred in 547 BC, during the Battle of Thymbra, which pitted Cyrus the Great of Persia against Croesus of Lydia. Though outnumbered, Cyrus the Great’s troops defeated Croesus’ company, with their camels putting a scare into the opposing side’s horse battalions. This paved the way for camels to be widely used as anti-cavalry units throughout history. Many Arab and North African militaries used armored camels and riders, leading to success against in the Muslim conquests that helped build the Ottoman Empire. Though even most history buffs would not associate the United States with camel based military units, a troop of camel riding military army men actually set hoof on American soil in the mid 19^th century. The U.S. Camel Corps was an experiment conducted by the US Department of War to gauge the animals’ effectiveness in the desert areas of modern-day California, Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas. The herd consisted of 21 camels purchased in Smyrna, Turkey, and brought back to San Antonio. Overall, the camels faired well, but as conflict de-escalated in the Southwest, and more pressing issues developed with the outbreak of the Civil War, the Camel Corps was discontinued.

http://www.pyreneesguide.com/

Mmm Camel

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:46:25 +0000

Next time you go to the store to grill out steaks, sausages or burgers, consider picking up a slab of camel meat. Of course, unless you live down under, it’s highly unlikely your local grocery store would carry camel, but some Australian food stores do, in fact, have such meat in all three of the aforementioned varieties. Camels are so overpopulated in the arid regions of the Outback that the government is doing its best Chick-fil-A cow impersonation, urging its citizens to “Eat More Camel.” The quickly growing camel populations already include over 1 million camels roaming wild, causing major problems for Australian Aboriginal communities. The animals tend to travel in aggressive packs, making it difficult, particularly for Aboriginal women who rarely carry or operate weaponry, to venture unprotected into the countryside for fear of being attacked or trampled. The large herds of camels have also been known to stampede over sacred sites and contaminate age old watering holes with heightened levels of excrement. Furthermore, the increasing camel contingencies are straining local ecosystems while making meals of endangered plant species. The Australian government is working hard on what they call “Camel Control” in hopes of reducing populations. Turning camels into camel meat and camel meat into a popular national food staple is perhaps the most humane solution, so at least large numbers of camels will die for a delicious cause.Camel meat is actually quite healthy, as it is very low in fat content, with high potential to grow in popularity as the world continues on its global health kick. The meat has been eaten for centuries, dating back to ancient Greece, Persia and Rome, and is still a common meal in many arid regions. Camel hump is generally considered a delicacy, though much of the camel is edible, with brisket, ribs and loin all popular across various cultures.

Humpbacks in a Hurry

www.camelidid.org — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:40:20 +0000

Though yet to break through to the Kentucky Derby or Belmont Stakes, camel racing is a popular spectator sport in many nations outside the United States, particularly desert nations where riding a camel might be a more common occurrence. Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, with slow moving scenes of camel-led travelers traversing sandy hills at mere meters per hour, a full-sprint camel is among the faster beasts in the animal kingdom. At top speed, the average camel runs at close to 40 miles per hour. By comparison, this is not too far off the pace of much smaller racing animals, generally sporting a more sleek, aerodynamic frame than their camel counterparts. Greyhounds, common racers at American dog tracks, reach a top speed of 43 miles per hour, while the average quarter horse bests the camel by 7 and a half miles per hour. Like horse and dog racing, gamblers in many foreign countries find themselves betting on a particular humpbacked speedster to win, place or show. As a sport, however, it compares much closer to the horse than dog variety, with mounted jockeys atop each animal. Almost unheard of in the Western world, Australia is a notable exception, where camel racing can be quite the lucrative endeavor. Take for example the “Sheikh Zayed international Camel Endurance Race,” which boasts a winning purse of 50,000 Australian dollars.Not only can camels move quickly for shorter sprint distances, but as a species renowned for their endurance, it’s no surprise to find camels can maintain a speed of 25 miles per hour for a full hour’s worth of running. Consider that were a camel so motivated to run a marathon, it could be estimated the furry, four-legged competitor would complete the course in just over an 1 hour and 3 minutes, shaving a full hour off the world record time of 2 hours 3 minutes and 59 seconds, set by Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie.