A cungulate, which has a characteristic hump, or humps, on its back. They were domesticated over 3,500 years ago and have been used for transportation ever since. See the fact file below for more information about camels.
- Camels are even-toed ungulates that have one or two humps. The one-humped camel, or dromedary camel, is found in the Arabian deserts of the Middle East and North Africa, while the two-humped camel, or Bactrian camel, is native to the Gobi Desert in China and the Bactrian steppes of Mongolia.
- When camels walk, they move both legs on one side of their body and then the other. Their feet are also soft, flat and wide. Both of these features help prevent them from sinking into the sand.
- Camels have a double row of very long eyelashes to protect the eye from blowing sand. They also have a nictitating membrane, which is a third eyelid for extra protection from sand and dust.
- They have hairs in the opening of the ear to help stop blowing sand from blowing into them.
