Camel Showdown: Dromedary vs Bactrian
It’s the ultimate camel showdown! Two camels, three humps, only one can be victorious!
Learn more about your water-storing desert friends here:
Dromedary
The more well known Dromedary camel roams the hot sands of deserts in the Middle East and parts of Africa. Even with only a single hump, the Dromedary can drink up 100 gallons (135 liters) of water in just 13 minutes!
They may bat their long eyelashes at you, but don’t be fooled! The Dromedary is just trying to protect itself from the swirling desert sands. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Dromedaries have long been valued as pack animals, and can assist their humans by carrying large loads through the desert for up to 25 miles per day.
Bactrian
The Bactrian camel is less common of the two types, and also on the endangered species list. But it makes up for it’s dwindling population with twice the humps!
Native to the rocky deserts of Central and East Asia, Bactrian camels have evolved to acclimate to the searingly hot summers (100° F) and bitterly cold winters (-20° F) of their homes. These furry two-humped camels shed their hair each summer and grow it back as the temperatures begin to drop.
Like Dromedaries, Bactrians have also been domesticated by humans, but small numbers (fewer than 1000!) of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Gobi desert. These are the only truly wild camels left in existence.
1 hump or 2? Which will it be? Make your choice this Thursday at 11 AM ET on eyewire.org!
Regular VS bonus points apply.