Camels with amazing survival skills

Camels have played an important role in the lives of many people for at least four thousand years, and this is mainly because camels have a wonderful ability to live in places where other large animals could never survive. The body of a camel seems strange to us with a long curved neck, thin legs, tiny ears, huge feet, a long nose that puts a “smug” expression on its face, and, of course, a bump on its back. It looks as if the camel was made from parts of five or six other animals. However, the strange looking body of a camel is perfect for living in a hot and sandy desert. Almost every part of its body helps it survive in places where few other animals can live. Nature has endowed the camel with tactics to survive in the harsh and harsh environment of the desert.

The desert wind often blows sand into the air. To protect their eyes, camels have long eyelashes that catch most of the sand. If sand gets into the eye, a camel has a special third eyelid to remove it. Like a windshield wiper on a car, this extra eyelid moves from side to side, pushing sand away. The eyelid is very thin, so a camel can see through it. In sandstorms, camels often close their extra eyelids and keep walking. It could be said that a camel can find its way through a sandstorm “with its eyes closed.”

Camels’ huge feet help them walk on the sand without sinking into it. A camel’s foot can be as big as a large plate. Do the long legs of a camel make it difficult for the animal to sit up? No. The camel simply folds its front legs under its body and falls to its knees. It then folds its hind legs and drops the rear of its body to the ground. This works so well that camels can sit down and stand up with heavy loads on their backs.

A camel’s head has built-in sunshades to help keep sunlight out of its eyes. There are broad ridges of bone above each eye. These stick out just enough to protect the eyes when the sun is up. Camel ears are small to make it harder for sand to get into them. Long legs and long necks are great advantages for camels in the desert. Camels can lift their heads more than 12 feet in the air. And they can often see for miles in a flat desert. This makes it easier for them to find food and water.

To prevent sand from entering their noses, camels may cover their nostrils. When there is no sand in the wind, a camel can open its nostrils and breathe through its nose. When the wind begins to whip the sand, the camel simply closes its nose. Wouldn’t it be fun if you could open and close your nose? The next time you see a camel, these facts will make it more interesting and attractive.