Look at the camel

Imagine walking across a desert. The sand goes on and on. The sun is blazing. There is no shade, no shop, no tap. Most animals would not last long.

But here comes a camel, plodding along, swaying from side to side, looking very calm.

How does a camel do it?

Look at its feet. They are wide and flat, like big soft cushions. They spread out when they step, so the camel does not sink into the sand.

Look at its eyes. A camel has two rows of very long eyelashes, to keep the sand out. It even has a thin, see-through extra eyelid, so it can see a little even in a sandstorm.

Look at its nose. A camel can close its nostrils tight when the wind blows sand about.

Now look at the hump. Lots of people think the hump is full of water. It is not. It is full of fat. When there is not enough food, the camel can use the fat in its hump for energy. If a camel has not eaten for a long time, its hump gets floppy.

And water? A camel can go for days, sometimes more than a week, without drinking. When it does find water, it can drink an enormous amount very quickly. A thirsty camel can drink over a hundred litres in about ten minutes. That is like drinking a whole bathtub.

Camels can cope with heat that would make us very ill. A camel’s body can warm up during the hot day and cool down at night. That way it does not have to sweat so much and lose precious water. A baby camel, called a calf, can stand up and walk within a few hours of being born.

For thousands of years, camels have carried people and their goods across deserts. They have been called the ships of the desert.

The Qur’an asks: “Do they not look at the camels, how they are created?” It is an invitation to look carefully, just as we have.

The Torah is the first part of the Jewish Bible. In it, a kind young woman called Rebekah meets a tired traveller at a well. He has ten thirsty camels. She gives him a drink. Then she offers to fetch water for all his camels too, until they have finished drinking. Ten camels. That is a lot of buckets. Everyone remembered her kindness.

Jewish teachers in the Talmud said something lovely about animals. Feed your animals first, they taught, before you sit down to eat yourself.

Christians remember that Jesus once made people laugh. He talked about a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle.

Camels are funny, grumpy, patient and perfectly made for the place they live. Next time you see a picture of one, look closely. What else can you notice?

Watch together

▶What's Inside a Camel's Hump? · SciShow Kids

What is really inside a camel’s hump, explained for children.

Camels happily eating spiny cactus, from Nat Geo Animals.

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