Camels of Laikipia

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