It
is indeed my humble opinion to consider the camel a beautiful animal.
There is just something about it. Yes and i will also claim that it is a
graceful animal. In our continuing safari of Laikipia in the middle of
nowhere that gives you the feeling that Kenya is big and beautiful which
really there is no hiding the fact that it is we met this group being
herded by a father and son.
Before i indulge myself by
giving stories about camels let me first give their short story. They
had been travelling for two days and had not yet reached their
destination. I suspect they could have been from Samburu. This practice
still goes on in Africa. I was impressed this level of being able to
survive would put most of us to shame. I wonder, put out there to do
what they were doing how many of us would really survive? ( Take a camel
home journey coming soon)
Okay ....There are two species of Camel, the Dromedary (
Camelus dromedarius) and the Bactrian (
Camelus bactrianus).
Dromedary camels have one hump and were domesticated some 4,000 years
ago. There are no Dromedaries left in the wild. Bactrian camels
have two humps. Although most of their numbers are domesticated, they
still have a small wild representation. Wild Bactrian camels are
critically endangered and a recent census put their count at a mere 900.
Dromedaries are native to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. Their
long association with humans has benefited both species. There are close
to 14 million Dromedaries, many still being used to transport people
and goods across inhospitable places. Where they were once an Arabian
fixture (there are 160 words in Arabic for camel); they are now more
prevalent in Somalia, Sudan, Kenya and other African nations.
Dromedaries were integral in opening trade routes between Asia, Africa
and Europe. Muslim armies rode camels as they toppled the Byzantine and
Persian Empires. For centuries, the Dromedary has supplied humans with
its muscles, milk, hide and meat, making it possible for people to
subsist, even to thrive, in desert wastelands.
(pause for just a second right here....would you be bold enough to milk a camel? This African Safari will prove to be interesting)
http://oloi-travels.com
The most recognizable physical characteristic of a camel is its hump.
Contrary to myth, water is not stored
there
(oops just burst my bubble right there). A camel's hump is made up
of fatty tissue that can be converted into energy and water when there
is need. As the camel draws upon these energy reserves, the hump
shrinks. If the fat deposits are truly depleted, the hump will flop over
and hang down the camel's side. A week of food, water and rest will
restore a camel's hump to its proper shape. Since a camel's fat is
stored mainly in the hump, their body is not insulated and they are able
to keep themselves cool in the heat of the desert. Another way Camels
keep cool is by fluctuating their core body temperature as much as 10°F.
If a human's body temperature raises a mere 2°F it is a sign of
illness, 6°F and we will die. It may be odd to see camels clustered
together during the hottest part of the day, but since their body
temperatures are lower than the surrounding air, they are actually
helping to keep each other cool.
Whether one-humped or two, Camels have unique adaptations that make
it possible for them to live in harsh climates. Their eyes are large and
protected from wind and sand by double layers of long lashes. Their
brow ridge and eyebrows are prominent, providing a boney "visor" that
shields the eye from the sun. Camels also have a third eyelid that moves
sideways, front to back, and acts like a windshield wiper, brushing the
eye clean of sand. Even when this eyelid is closed, the camel can still
see, allowing them to continue to travel in blinding sandstorms. The
camel's ears and nose are lined with hair for protection from dust and
sand. The camel's nose is also designed to trap moisture from its
exhalations, thereby conserving body fluids. A camel's long legs keep
the bulk of its body high above the reflective heat of the desert sand.
Thick calloused skin on the camel's knees and chest are contact points
with the hot sand. These hairless areas develop on camels when they are
about 5 months of age and protect them when they are lying down and
resting and also provide cushioning for when they rise.
A camel is a cud-chewer and vegetarian, preferring dates, grass and
grain, but when food is scarce, it becomes an omnivore, making a meal
out of anything it can find, including thorns, bones, meat and even its
owners tent. Camels need salt in their diet and can drink brackish water
that would make other animals ill. The camel's mouth is tough-skinned
and has a split lip, allowing it to strip even the thorniest trees of
vegetation. They possess very sharp teeth which are used not just to
feed, but to defend itself. In the summer, camels can go 5 – 7 days
without food or water. In the winter, a camel can extract enough
moisture from its food to go 50 days without water. A thirsty camel can
drink up to 30 gallons of water in less than 15 minutes. Any other
mammal would suffer water intoxication and probably die. A camel's feet
are two-toed, broad and flat with a pad of fat at its heel. Under the
camel's weight, this fat pad spreads out, like a snowshoe, keeping the
camel from sinking into the sand.
so there is the long short story of the camel and all its about. You are welcome indeed to arrange with us to take a camel safari in KENYA! ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS
INBOX US AT
info@oloi-travels.com
Giraffe Ark is a serene sanctuary that graces the famous plains of
Kieni in Nyeri County and is strategically placed between the majestic
Aberdare Ranges to the south and the imposing snow capped Mt.Kenya to
the North.
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