| |
 |
Bactrian camel
|
BACTRIAN camel (or Asian camel) (双峰驼) is a two-humped (双峰) camel. It has a wooly coat and is caramel (褐色) in colour.
Males are larger than females and both sexes have two humps on the back that are used to store fat. The camel is adapted to the desert by its structural qualities and ability to bite off the thorny acacia plants (带刺的金合欢属植物). Camel herds spread over a large area so that they do not eat all of the vegetation.
In order to withstand (承受) the heat of the desert sand a camel possesses thick, broad sole pads (肉掌) and callosities (硬皮) on the chest and on the joints of the legs upon which it rests in a kneeling (跪) position.
In addition, a camel has very long eyelashes (眼睫毛) and its nostrils (鼻孔) can be closed against flying dust.
In order to survive for long periods of time without drinking, the camel has its humps, which store fat. When the fat is broken down (分解), it turns into hydrogen (氢). Water is formed when this hydrogen mixes with inhaled (吸入的) oxygen (氧气). Contrary to popular belief, the humps do not store water.
If a camel is thirsty it can consume as much as 30 gallons of water in just 10 minutes.
The bactrian camel is classified as endangered in 1996.
Habitat of the bactrian camels are the desert and steppes (干草原) in Asia.
Their life span is about 40 years. (Part XIII)(SD-Agencies)
|
|
|
|
