Did You Know This About Camels? The camel is often looked upon with some amusement. Its grunting and groaning, and its odd looks, could easily give the impression that the camel is an unsophisticated animal. The truth is, however, that the camel is something of a wonder. Like the yaks of the Tibet, and the reindeers of the Arctic regions, the camel is perfectly fit for what it is required to do. It has been gifted with all it needs for survival in the harsh desert environment. Without the camel, travelling across the deserts would have been impossible for locals and visitors alike. Let’s take a closer look at the “Ship of the Desert”: The Feet The Head The camel has hoofs with large cushions that spread out in the soft sand to keep it from sinking in. The knees are covered with thick and hardened skin, to protect the animal from the hot sand while it is resting on the ground. The face has been designed to protect the animal from the sun and the sand: The camel has three eyelids. The third eyelid can be closed for extra protection during sand storms. The camel has thick eyebrows and thick eyelashes, which also help protect it from blowing sand. The eyelashes clamp together, like two combs. The nostrils have special muscles, which close them against blowing sand. The nose has a large mucus structure that moisturizes the air, enabling the camel to conserve moisture, rather than losing it back into the air. The ears are small and have thick hair on both inside and outside, to prevent dirt and sand from entering. They can also be turned in different directions, away from the wind. The lining of the camel’s mouth is very tough, to enable the animal to eat whatever it can digest, when food is scarce. This way, it can eat thorny cactus plants without injuring its mouth. The Neck The Hump Coping with the Heat The camel’s long neck enables it to reach leaves up to 3 meters above the ground. Many believe that the camel stores water in its hump. However, the hump actually stores fat, to be used as a source of energy when food is hard to come by. As the camel’s body uses the fat, the hump can actually shrink in size. This stored energy supply can keep the camel alive for 3 weeks without water. The camel sweats. Its coarse body hair, which also protects the animal from the sun, allows it to sweat. The camel’s fur does not only protect the animal from the climatic conditions, but also eliminates the loss of water from the body. The camel does this by raising its body temperature, so it doesn’t start sweating until the body temperature has reached near the top. How Does It Process Water? The Human Use The Camel in the Quran One of the most amazing features of the camel is the way it processes water. The camel’s blood remains thin enough to always circulate and remove body heat. The camel can survive even if it loses 40% of the water in its body. It can survive for very long periods without water, and when it drinks, it can consume more than 100 litres in about 10 minutes. The Bedouin use the camel for transportation. They use its hide for making tents. They use its dung for making fires to cook their food. The perfect creation of the camel is mentioned in the Quran, Surah Al-Ghashiya, Verse 17: "Why do they not reflect on the camels and how they are created?" Copyright © 2019 myEasyArabic.com