We know that camels are animals that live in warm climates and that they are very resistant to hunger and thirst. But this despite scorching temperatures and malnutrition How they can continue their lives is a big question mark.

What is the reason behind the endurance of camels and what actually What purpose do these bumps serve?

It is true that camels can live for days without water or food, but that is not because they store water in their humps.

When camels find more food than they need, they eat enough to fill their humps, thinking they might remain hungry for days to come. A camel with a full hump It can survive for an average of 4-5 months without eating.

Contrary to popular belief, these animals are They store fat, not water, in their humps. When they are short of food and water, they get their energy from these fat masses. They use the fat they have stored to survive during long journeys.

The longer the camels stay away from food and drink His bumps are getting smaller and smaller. Sometimes it can even disappear completely. However, once they have enough food and water, their bumps will fill out in a few days.

These animals are not born with bumps.

When camels are first born, they are under the protection of their mothers. All the energy they get from their mothers during breastfeeding contributes to the growth of their bodies. Baby camels begin weaning when they are about 5-6 months old. Their own bumps start to form when they are 10-11 months old.

Most animals have fat stores around their stomachs and on the sides of their bodies. But camels It develops vertically with the weight they gain. There are two different opinions on the reason for this.

First; This storage method allows camels to lie comfortably on the sand.

According to another view, humps are the characteristics of camels. with less exposure to sunlight and heat is related. In addition, collecting body fat in one place makes camels sweat less.

These animals, whose average body temperature is 37°C, barely sweat until the temperature reaches 42°C. Because camels can regulate their temperature balance thanks to the fur that covers their body. Similar They also save energy and water.

These animals come in two different types.

Bactrian camel

Double-humped Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) live mainly in various parts of Central Asia and Western China. Arabian camels (Camelus dromedarius) have one hump and They are much more common.

Arabian camel

But the extra bump means you stay hungry and thirsty for much longer, and dromedary camels They may need other ways to cope with energy shortages.

So if camels don’t store water in their humps, how can they combat thirst?

When fat tissue is burned, a certain amount of water is released, but these animals draw their power from other parts of their body to fight thirst. The body structure of camels is complete It has evolved to be content with little water.

Camels, for example, after being without water for a long time Drinks an average of 110 liters of water in one go. Under normal circumstances, consuming that much water in one go would be fatal to many creatures, but camels keep some of this water in a certain part of their stomach and slowly absorb it into their bloodstream.

In addition, the kidneys and large intestines of camels are quite adapted to desert conditions.

The kidneys of these animals remove toxins from the body to preserve the fluid they have It makes it possible to retain as much water as possible. Here too, excessive reabsorption of water takes place in the large intestine, and therefore their stools are quite dry and hard.

The most effective camel structures in combating thirst are: red elastic blood cells. When the camel drinks water, the red blood cells swell up to about 2.5 times due to their flexibility and thus carry more water. With dehydration, the volume of blood plasma decreases and in such a situation the blood vessels constrict to keep the blood flow rate constant.

Although a 15% water loss can be a life-threatening risk for humans, camels can tolerate up to 40% of this loss.

In summary; Camels are animals that are fully adapted to the warm climate in which they live Even though they don’t carry water in their humps They can withstand thirst much better than humans and many animals.