home Balusters

How dangerous is a wild camel? From Zaisan through Khami to Tibet and the upper reaches of the Yellow River. Types of camels, photos and names

One of the amazing animals on our earth is the camel. He is curious not only about his appearance, but also a way of life. Therefore, many are interested in learning the name of the Bactrian camel and interesting facts associated with it.

What is it called

First, you should know that this animal can be domestic or wild. Mongolia is considered the birthplace of Bactrian camels. There this wild animal is known as "haptagai". The domestic Bactrian camel is called a Bactrian. The animal received this name in honor of the ancient region of Bactiria, which was located in This species is the largest of the camelid family.

Species distribution

Many people do not know the name of the Bactrian camel, but this is not surprising, since in our area you can only meet this exotic animal in a zoo. But in Central Asia and Mongolia it is a common pet. It is also bred in some in China. Worldwide, the number of Bactrians exceeds two million. But the wild representative of this family is very much in danger of extinction. According to some reports, the haptagai ranks eighth on the list of endangered mammals. In total, their number varies within about several hundred heads. Mostly haptagai can be found in some parts of Mongolia and China.

Relationship with a person

The Bactrian camel (name - Bactrian) plays a huge role in the life of Asian people. For the population that lives in desert districts, this animal is a necessary means of transportation. They also shear camels to make woolen items such as rugs, blankets, felt boots, capes, clothes and more. But the skin, meat and milk of the animal are also used. In addition, the dung of the Bactrian camel is also valuable, since it produces good fuel.

Appearance

This animal is so unusual that it cannot be confused with other mammals. The Bactrian or Bactrian camel, the photo of which is shown below, is quite large and weighs on average 500 kilograms. But heavier individuals are often encountered. If you measure the animal by the withers, it will exceed two meters, and if you take the height along with the humps, it can reach 2.7 m.

The animal has a long bent neck and lanky legs. Instead of hooves there is a cloven foot and wide calloused pads. In addition, on each leg there are processes that resemble a claw.

Also, the Bactrian camel, whose name is Bactrian, can have a different color from almost white until brown. The wool is quite thick and long, and is hollow inside to provide poor thermal conductivity. They also have an undercoat. Camels molt in summer, changing their coats. The old fur falls out quickly, and the animal can remain “naked” for a couple of weeks until a new coat grows.

animal hump

The humps are of greatest interest. They can be of various shapes, which often depend on the condition of the camel. For example, if an animal is hungry, the humps may hang down; in an animal that has eaten, they are restored and rise again. This is explained by the fact that these “bags” contain fat (a total of about 150 kg), which is the body’s nutrition reserve. These growths also serve as thermal insulators for the animal. In addition, the Bactrian Bactrian camel is a convenient transport, since the distance between its “bags” is approximately 30 centimeters, this is enough for an adult to fit there.

Features of camels

This animal has special physiological characteristics that allow it to survive in adverse conditions. For example, a camel can suffer severe dehydration, while other animals die in such circumstances. With a strong loss of moisture in the body, this mammal noticeably loses weight, but when it has the opportunity to drink, its weight is restored almost immediately. In addition, the camel is able to accumulate and retain liquid until a certain point.

Lifestyle

This animal is diurnal and prefers to rest at night. Their main enemies are wolves and tigers. The Bactrian camel (name - Bactrian) lives according to the “schedule” set by the owner of the animal. But wild individuals keep in herds of up to 20 heads and obey the dominant male. Basically, in this family there are only females and young animals.

Rutting period

At the age of two, females are ready to have offspring. Male camels become sexually mature by age five. In autumn the rutting season begins. Often at this time, owners put males on a leash, since they become dangerous to surrounding animals and humans. They attack their opponents, rush about, roar and foam. If the male is dominant, he keeps the females in one place, not allowing them to disperse. Camels often engage in fights during this period. Even calm animals become ferocious during the mating season. They use their powerful neck, trying to pin the opponent to the ground, use their fangs, grabbing the legs and throat, and kick the enemy. In this case, if the owner does not disperse the camels, serious injuries and even death are possible for the weak male.

During the rutting period, haptagai can become dangerous to their domestic counterparts. They are able to break into the pen, kill the males and take away the females. Therefore, these days, shepherds take their animals to the mountains away from danger.

After mating, the female bears the offspring for 13 months. Only one baby camel is born, weighing no more than 45 kilos. Within two hours after birth, the baby is able to follow his mother independently. Lactation is long, about a year and a half. But a baby camel can chew already in the third month. The female is capable of giving birth once in two years. At the age of 4 years, male camels gather in groups, and over time, each of them organizes his own “harem”.

Amazing details

One of the most unusual mammals, of course, is the Bactrian camel. Interesting Facts about this animal are no less fascinating:

One individual is capable of drinking 200 liters of water at a time.
If the animal decides to rest or sleep, it cannot be forced to get up. It will only get up when it wants to.
These herbivores can eat hard thorns without scratching their lips and mouth.
The camel's nostrils are able to close when necessary (for example, to keep moisture out or during sandstorms to prevent sand from getting inside).
If a hurricane begins in its territory of residence, the camel can remain in a lying, motionless state for several days.
Each leg of the animal is capable of kicking in four directions.
They can do without water if they eat green plants (camels get moisture from them).
One of defensive capabilities- this is spitting. If you provoke a camel, it will draw an unpleasant mixture from its stomach, which it will “reward” the enemy with.
The fur of this animal has the ability to reflect rays, which allows it not to overheat while moving through the desert.
The name of the Bactrian camel “haptagai” appeared thanks to the local residents.
Camel excrement is very dry, so it is used for heating. They give an even, almost smokeless warm flame.
They have an excellent memory, which helps them not to get lost among the many dunes.
Camels have keen eyesight. The animal sees movement in the desert a kilometer away.
The camel's sense of smell allows it to survive, as it can smell water sixty kilometers away.
In bad weather, the animal tries to hide. If it is too hot outside, camels begin to walk against the wind, opening their mouths, to cool down a little and avoid overheating. They also use their tail for fanning.
Although special vehicles and navigators have been invented for moving through the desert, the most reliable assistant is still the Bactrian camel, whose name is Bactrian.
People use the fat that is in the “bags” of the animal for food. It is suitable for frying and is valued higher than beef.
Camels do not tolerate dampness very well.
They are very susceptible to disease.
A wild camel can even be content with salt water; a domestic camel is not adapted to this.
They can live up to 50 years.

The largest representative of the callosopod suborder.

Taxonomy

Russian name - Bactrian camel
Latin name- Camelus bactrianus
English name- Domestic bactrian camel
Order - artiodactyla (Artiodactyla)
Suborder - callosopods (Tylopoda)
Family - camelids (Camelidae)
Genus - camels (Camelus)

There are wild and domestic Bactrian camels. The wild camel in Mongolia, its homeland, is called haptagai, in contrast to the domestic one - bactrian (the word comes from the name of the ancient region in Central Asia, Bactria).

Conservation status of the species

The domestic Bactrian camel is a common animal in Central Asia, Mongolia and China. In Russia greatest number camels are kept in Buryatia and Kalmykia. The world population exceeds 2 million animals.

The wild Bactrian camel is a very rare animal, listed in the IUCN Red List, in the CR category - a species in critical danger of extinction. The population of these animals numbers only a few hundred individuals. According to some reports, the wild camel is the eighth most endangered mammal in terms of threat.

Species and man

The domestic Bactrian camel has long been an important pet in many areas of Asia. First of all, it is reliable vehicle in desert conditions. People use milk, meat, skin, and camel wool, from which they make a wide variety of knitted and felted products. Even the dung of this animal is very valuable: it serves as an excellent fuel.

The domestication of camels dates back to ancient times. The earliest archaeological information about the breeding of Bactrians dates back to the 7th–6th millennia BC. e. A number of sources indicate that domestic camels appeared about 4,500 years ago. The discovery of a vessel with dung from a Bactrian camel and the remains of the camel’s hair, made during excavations of ancient settlements in eastern Iran, dates back to 2500 BC. e. One of the oldest images of a domestic camel being led by the bridle by a man dates back to the 9th century BC. e. It is carved on the famous Black Obelisk of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III and is now in the British Museum. Another image was discovered on the ruins of the Apadana Hall of the palace of the Persian kings in Persepolis, dating back to the 5th century. BC e.

The Bactrian camel has survived in the wild and was first described as a species in 1878 by the famous Russian explorer N. M. Przhevalsky in Mongolia. Currently, the population of the “savage” continues to decline, mainly due to poaching and competition with livestock.

The domestic camel is somewhat different from the wild one, which gives some scientists reason to distinguish them as separate species, or at least subspecies. The question of the direct origin of Bactrian from the modern wild camel also remains open.

The largest representative of the order Callopods

Distribution and habitats

The wild camel in the past apparently occurred over a vast area of much of Central Asia. Now the habitat of haptagai (that’s what they call it) local residents) is small and represented by four broken sections in Mongolia and China.

The domestic Bactrian camel is bred primarily in the steppe and semi-desert regions of eastern Central Asia, Mongolia and neighboring territories of Russia and China; The world population of Bactrians exceeds 2 million. Breeds of domestic camels have been bred: Kazakh, Kalmyk and Mongolian, which differ in size, quality of coat, shape and size of humps.
Concerning modern life wild Bactrian camels, they constantly migrate from one area to another, but mainly their habitats are rocky, desert plains and foothills with sparse and rough vegetation and rare sources of water. However, camels need water to survive; groups of camels in their habitats are strongly attached to reservoirs and springs. After the rains, groups of camels gather on the banks of rivers or at the foot of mountains, where temporary floods form. In winter, camels make do with snow to quench their thirst. Wild camels are also found in mountainous areas, and they move so well on steep slopes that they are not much inferior to mountain sheep.

In the hot season, haptagai rise quite high - it was noted that they are found at an altitude of 3300 m above sea level. In winter, animals migrate 300–600 km to the south and often stay in mountain valleys, which protect them from the wind, or along dry watercourses. If oases with poplar groves are not occupied by humans, the haptagai spend the winter, and especially autumn, near them. Wild camels are characterized by wide migrations during the day, even with an abundance of food, which is sometimes associated with watering places. Thus, observations have shown that camels can travel 80–90 km or even more per day.

Appearance and morphology

The appearance of the Bactrian camel is so unique and characteristic that it cannot be confused with any other animal. Bactrians are very large animals - the height at the withers often exceeds 2 meters and can reach 2.3 meters, the height of the body with humps is up to 2.7 m. An adult male camel weighs on average about 500 kg, but often much more - up to 800 and even 1000 kg. Females are smaller: 320–450 kg, in rare cases up to 800 kg.

A barrel-shaped body on long knobby legs, with the hind legs as if attached to the general contour of the body, a long curved neck, a rather large head with expressive eyes, pubescent double rows of eyelashes and, of course, humps - this is a camel. In a well-fed camel, the humps stand straight, and their shape is individual for each animal; in a thin camel, the humps completely or partially fall to one side, but rise again when the animal eats itself. The name of the suborder - callosalfoot - is due to the structure of the leg, ending in a forked foot resting on a callus pad, which in Bactrian is very wide, allowing the animal to walk on loose soil. On the front of the foot there is a kind of claw or small hoof. The tail is quite short, with a tuft of long hair at the end. The lips of camels are unusual - they are very mobile, at the same time fleshy, tough, adapted to tearing off the coarsest and thorniest vegetation. Upper lip in all camelids it is forked. The ears are round and very small, almost indistinguishable from a great distance. On the back of the head there are paired glands, especially developed in the male, the black, viscous and odorous secretion of which is used for marking territory.

The color of the camel is brown-sand of various shades, from almost white to dark chestnut. The coat is very thick and long (about 7 cm on the body, and up to 30 cm or even more on the bottom of the neck and on the tops of the humps). The structure of the Bactrian's fur is similar to that of the inhabitants of the North - the polar bear and the reindeer: the guard hairs are like tubes, hollow inside. Together with the thick undercoat, this contributes to the low thermal conductivity of the camel's coat. Moulting in camels is also unique - it begins with the onset of warm days and proceeds very quickly. The old fur falls out, coming off the body in large tufts, or even layers, and the new one does not have time to grow during this time, so at the end of May - June the camel in the zoo is practically “naked”. However, 2-3 weeks pass, and the handsome Bactrian is covered with smooth, thick, velvety hair, which will become especially long by winter.

Camels have several morphological and physiological features that allow them to survive in extremely harsh conditions. The camel suffers dehydration that is fatal to all other animals. This animal can survive by losing up to 40% of water in its body (other animals die with a loss of 20% of water). A camel's kidneys can absorb much of the water from urine and return it to the body, so the urine produced is extremely concentrated. The erythrocytes (red blood cells) of camels are oval in shape (in all other mammals they are round), so the blood maintains normal fluidity even with severe thickening, since the narrow oval erythrocytes pass through the capillaries without obstruction. In addition, camel red blood cells have the ability to accumulate liquid, increasing in volume up to 2.5 times. Bactrian manure is much more concentrated than cattle manure - it contains 6–7 times less water and consists of a mixture of coarse, almost dry plant fibers (Bactrian manure is well formed in the form of oblong pellets measuring 4x2x2 cm). When severely dehydrated, a camel noticeably loses weight, but when given access to water, it restores its normal appearance literally before our eyes.

A number of features external structure It also allows you to maximize the savings of water reserves in the body. Water evaporation is minimized because the camel keeps its nostrils tightly closed, opening them only during inhalation and exhalation. The camel's ability to thermoregulate is also known. Unlike other mammals, a camel begins to sweat only if its body temperature reaches +41 °C, and its further increase becomes life-threatening. At night, a camel’s body temperature can drop to +34 °C.

The fat contained in the humps is not broken down into water, as was believed for a long time, but plays the role of a food supply for the body. It also serves to insulate the camel's body, accumulating primarily on the back, which is most exposed to sun rays. If fat were evenly distributed throughout the body, it would prevent heat from leaving the body. Both humps can contain up to 150 kg of fat.

Lifestyle and social organization

The Bactrian camel is an animal that is active during daylight hours. At night he either sleeps or is inactive and busy chewing gum. During hurricanes, camels can lie motionless for several days. In inclement weather, they try to hide in bushes or ravines; in extreme heat, they willingly walk, fanning themselves with their tails, against the wind with their mouths open, lowering their body temperature.

As for social organization, the maintenance of domestic Bactrian camels is under the control of a person who comprehensively determines their life. If camels happen to go wild, they restore the social structure characteristic of their wild ancestor. Wild Bactrian camels live in small herds of 5–20 heads (sometimes up to 30), mainly consisting of females and young animals; the leader is the dominant male. Adult males are often found alone. A herd of camels can also include young, sexually mature males, but only outside the rutting period.

Nutrition and feeding behavior

The Bactrian camel is a herbivore and can feed on the roughest and least nutritious food. It is able to eat plants with such spines that no other animal is able to eat. The camel's diet is quite varied. Of course, they love cereals, they eat camel thorn with pleasure, but they also quite willingly eat shrub and semi-shrub saltworts, onions, barnyard grass, parsifolia with its juicy large leaves, they eat ephedra and young shoots of saxaul, and in the fall in the oases - poplar leaves and reeds. When camels are hungry, they can eat animal bones and skins, and even objects made from them. The Bactrian camel is able to withstand very long periods of fasting. It is so adapted to meager food that for the health of a domestic camel, constant underfeeding may be better than abundant nutrition.

Camels show equally high endurance in relation to water. For example, wild camels come to springs no more than once every few days. If they are disturbed there, they can go without water for two or even three weeks - especially in the summer, when there is a lot of moisture in the plants after the rains. The Bactrian camel is notable for its ability to drink brackish water from desert reservoirs without harm to health. This, however, apparently only applies to wild camels - domestic ones avoid drinking salt water. In general, the animal's need for salt is very high - for this reason, domestic camels need to ensure the constant availability of salt bars. Camels in general, and Bactrian camels in particular, are known for their ability to drink huge amounts of water at once. In case of severe dehydration, Bactrian can drink up to 100 liters at a time.

If there is a good food supply, both wild and domestic camels become very fat by autumn. But camels suffer more than, for example, horses in winter time from deep snow and especially ice, since due to the lack of real hooves, they cannot, like horses, dig up the snow and feed on the vegetation underneath it.

Vocalization

Camels are not particularly talkative creatures. However, during the rut, males are characterized by a loud roar, which is heard very often. Excited animals make sounds similar to muttering and loud whistles. Cubs calling their mothers roar in higher voices; mothers respond with the same sounds, but lower in frequency.

Reproduction and raising offspring

Female camels become adults at the age of 2–3 years, males somewhat later, sometimes at 5–6 years. The rut of Bactrian camels occurs in the fall. At this time, males behave very aggressively. They attack other males and even try to mate with them, constantly roar loudly, run and rush about; foam comes out of their mouth. Animals make sounds similar to muttering and a sharp, drawn-out whistle. During the rut, dominant males herd females into groups and do not allow them to disperse. In this state, a male camel can be dangerous to both humans and animals. Male domestic camels are often tied or isolated when signs of the rut occur for safety reasons. In Mongolia, rutting camels kept on free grazing wear warning red bands around their necks.

Rutting males often engage in fierce fights with each other, during which they crush the enemy with their necks, trying to bend them to the ground and knock them down. Usually calm and submissive male camels at the moment of sexual arousal become dangerous, vicious, they can attack using their fangs, and beat with their front and hind legs. If teeth are used (usually they grab the opponent’s head with their teeth) or legs, then serious injuries are possible, including the death of one of the fighters. In herds of domestic camels, sometimes only the intervention of shepherds saves the weaker camel from severe injuries. It happens that wild camels attack herds of domestic camels, kill the males and take away the females - therefore, Mongolian shepherds in the Trans-Altai Gobi drive herds of domestic camels away from the desert, into the mountains during the rut, in order to protect them from the raids of the haptagai.

During the rut, males actively use their occipital glands to mark territory, arching their necks and touching their heads to the ground and stones. They also spray their own urine on their hind legs and spread the urine over the back of their body using their tail. The female does the same. Mating in camels occurs while lying down. At the moment of mating, the male Bactrian foams from his mouth, loudly grinds his teeth, and throws his head back. After 13 months of pregnancy, the female gives birth to one camel. It weighs between 35 and 45 kg, which is approximately 5–7% of the mother's weight. Interestingly, a Bactrian camel weighs much less at birth (both absolutely and relative to the mother) than a one-humped camel, which weighs about 100 kg.

A newborn camel is able to follow its mother almost immediately (after about two hours). It has small rudiments of humps without internal fat, but already at the age of one to two months the humps take a vertical position and become rounded at the base. The cub feeds exclusively on milk until 3–4 months, at which time it begins to try plant foods, but sucks for a long time. Lactation in a female lasts 1.5 years, and there are cases when grown cubs suckled their mothers at the same time as their younger newborn brothers. Camel cubs grow quickly; after reaching maturity, growth slows down, but stops only at the age of 7 years.

At the age of 3–4 years, males leave the maternal herd, form bachelor groups, and later acquire their own harem. A camel gives birth, as a rule, once every 2 years.

Lifespan

Camels live quite a long time, up to 40–50 years.

Keeping animals at the Moscow Zoo

Camels are not only one of the most common animals in zoos, but also one of the most beloved. What child would leave the zoo without seeing a camel! In the history of the Moscow Zoo, it seems, there was no period when we lived without camels, and both two-humped and one-humped camels were kept. Each had their own character, their own habits. The one-humped camel Pan was a feisty one and always tried to grab a person passing by by the head. And the two-humped giant Senya, who came to us from VDNKh, was, on the contrary, an amazing kind person.

When the zoo was being reconstructed, animals were transferred from one area to another. The camel Manka, Senya’s friend, was completely tame and simply followed the call of a familiar person who was holding a piece of bread in his hand. And a funny thing happened to Senya. The staff did not know that he had been bridle trained before and expected the camel to move away from the accessory. Senya, joyfully, but rather sharply moved his huge forehead head towards the man with the bridle, which caused quite a strong fright. It turned out that he was simply delighted with an object familiar from childhood and, happily putting on the bridle, calmly crossed Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Street.

Now the camel can be seen in the New Territory of the zoo; its enclosure is located opposite the entrance to the Exotarium. This is a female, more than 20 years ago she came from the Astrakhan region and now lives with Przhealsky horses, and this company suits everyone quite well. The animals do not show the slightest hostility towards each other, but if the horse presses its ears back (and this is a sign of dissatisfaction), the camel moves away. The she-camel often approaches visitors, who run away exclaiming: “Oh, he’s about to spit!” There is no need to be afraid, this peace-loving animal spits extremely rarely, only at veterinarians when it is being vaccinated. You don’t need to feed him either; all the animals in the zoo receive the food they need and that is healthy for them. The camel is given hay, branches (which it prefers to hay), a mixture of cut vegetables and oats. Be sure to have a salt lick with a special set of salts in the feeder. The beast comes to talk to you. Smile at him!

Order - Artiodactyla / Suborder - Callopods / Family - Camelids / Genus - Camels

History of the study

The Bactrian camel, or Bactrian (lat. Camelus bactrianus) is the largest representative of the camelid family (Camelidae), belonging, along with the one-humped camel (dromedary), to the genus of camels proper (lat. Camelus). In addition to having two humps and being larger in size and weight, the Bactrian camel differs from the one-humped camel in having, on average, a much thicker coat. Both camels are closely related species that form viable, fertile crosses.

Spreading

In the past, the wild camel apparently occurred over a wide area of much of Central Asia. It was widespread in the Gobi and other desert regions of Mongolia and China, reaching to the east as far as the Great Bend of the Yellow River, and to the west to modern central Kazakhstan and Central Asia (remains of wild camels are known from kitchen waste found there during excavations of settlements 1500 - 1000 years BC).

Now the habitat of the khaptagai is small and fragmented - there are 4 isolated areas in Mongolia and China. Specifically, in Mongolia, the wild camel lives in the Trans-Altai Gobi, including the foothills of the Edren and Shivet-Ulan ranges, to the border with China. In China, the main habitat of wild camels is in the area of Lake Lop Nor. Until recently, the camel was found in the Taklamakan Desert, but it may have already become extinct there.

Appearance

Domestic and wild Bactrian camels differ in color and thickness of fur, body type and shape of humps. Wild camels are lighter in color, slimmer, and have smaller and sharper humps than domestic ones. The humps are covered with thick hair in the cold season, and bare in the warm season. Shedding occurs unevenly, and the old fur falls out in whole pieces. Each hump can store up to 36 kg of fat, which, when oxidized, releases water into the more than the weight of fat consumed. When fat reserves are consumed, the humps become flabby. Camels have 34 sharp teeth.

No hooves. There are two big toes on each foot, resting on a callous thickening of the skin lying on the keratinized sole. Two large claws protrude from the sole. Such limbs are adapted to walking on rocky deserts and soft sand. The legs are thick, strong and knobby, with well-developed knee calluses on the hind legs. There are also calluses on the chest, elbows and heels. The neck is long and curved. Long hair (up to 25 cm) grows on the throat and neck, somewhat similar to a beard. Winter wool is very shaggy and warm. The body is round, the neck is long, the head is elongated. The ears are small, rounded, overgrown with hair. The tail is long with a tassel at the end. The lips are tough, which allows camels to eat thorns. The upper lip is forked. The eyes are large with two rows of long eyelashes that protect the animal from winds and sandstorms. The eyebrows are thick and protect the eyes well from the bright rays of the sun. During sandstorms, camels close not only their eyes, but also their slit-like nostrils. A stomach with several chambers that help in processing rough food - first a portion of food is swallowed without chewing, then the partially digested food (rumination) is regurgitated by the camel and chewed thoroughly. To conserve water reserves, the Bactrian camel's kidneys (due to its highly elongated nephrons) can highly concentrate urine. Gallbladder absent.
Camels have oval red blood cells, which allows them to drink large amounts of water in a short time.

The length of the coat (except in places where long hair grows) does not exceed 5 cm. The density of the coat depends on the habitat.

The color will range from dark brown to light beige. The length of the body with head is 2.7-3.6 m, the length of the tail is 35-55 cm, the height at the withers is 1.8-2.3 m. The camel's footprint is up to 30 cm in diameter. The weight varies depending on when the camel drank. Females 377-517 kg, males 367-422 kg.

Reproduction

Both males and females become sexually mature at the age of 3-5 years, although this period may vary in one direction or another. Males on average mature somewhat later than females, sometimes even at 6 years of age. In any case, in males, clearly expressed signs of sexual dimorphism appear starting from 3 years of age.

The rut of Bactrian camels occurs in the fall. At this time, males behave very aggressively. They attack other males and even try to mate with them, constantly roar loudly, run and rush about; foam comes out of their mouth. Animals make sounds similar to muttering and a sharp, drawn-out whistle. During the rut, dominant males herd females into groups and do not allow them to disperse. In this state, a male camel can be dangerous to humans and animals. Male domestic camels are often tied or isolated when signs of the rut occur for safety reasons. In Mongolia, rutting camels kept on free grazing wear warning red bands around their necks. Males not considered suitable for breeding stock or intended only for work (especially pack transportation) are usually castrated. But it is not recommended to approach unneutered males during the rut unless necessary, and working with them in general can be difficult. Rutting males often engage in fierce fights with each other, during which they crush the enemy with their necks, trying to bend them to the ground and knock them down. Less often, camels use their teeth (usually grabbing the opponent’s head with their teeth) or kick the opponent, and then serious injuries are possible, including the death of one of the fighters. In herds of domestic camels, sometimes only the intervention of shepherds saves the weaker camel from severe injuries. It happens that wild camels attack herds of domestic camels, kill the males and take away the females - therefore, Mongolian shepherds in the Trans-Altai Gobi drive herds of domestic camels away from the desert, into the mountains during the rut, in order to protect them from the raids of the haptagai.

The female bears offspring once every two years. One baby camel is born; Twins are rare, and very often twin pregnancies end in miscarriage. Pregnancy of camels lasts 13 months, a period of 411 days and 360-440 days is also indicated. Camel calves are born in the spring, and the peak birth rate occurs in March-April. A camel gives birth standing. A newborn camel weighs on average about 36 kg (called average weight and 45 kg) and has a height of about 90 cm at the shoulders. He is able to follow his mother almost immediately (after two hours). Lactation of females lasts about one and a half years, although the duration of exclusive milk feeding is usually about 6 months. A characteristic anatomical feature of camels - the different lengths of the uterine horns (the left horn is usually 8-14 cm shorter than the right) - often makes it difficult to diagnose pregnancy. Large fruit, which sometimes weighs 60 kg, and/or its incorrect position (taking into account the long legs of the cub) often causes difficulties during childbirth. In such cases, people help the domestic camel - the baby camel is pulled out into the light using ropes by up to four people. Interestingly, a two-humped camel calf is much smaller at birth (both absolutely and relative to the mother) than a one-humped camel, which weighs about 100 kg.

The Bactrian camel has a well-expressed concern for its offspring (it is still not uncommon for the female to abandon the baby camel or refuse to feed it). The cub stays with its mother very for a long time until reaching puberty. In domestic camels this period is longer than in wild camels. Males that have reached sexual maturity begin to stay separately, in bachelor herds, while females remain in the maternal herd. Under conditions of year-round grazing, the growth of young camels occurs in steps, which is expressed in growth retardation during unfavorable periods of the year, and is of a pronounced adaptive nature to the conditions of detention.

Lifestyle

The habitat of the Bactrian camel is deserts and semi-deserts, dry steppes, rocky mountain ranges, rock dunes and canyons with sparse vegetation and a lack of water sources. Temperature fluctuations in the habitats of Bactrians range from +40"C in summer to -40"C in winter.

The Bactrian camel is a calm and patient animal, active during daylight hours. Bactrians feed in the morning and evening. They spend most of the night and during the hottest hours of the day resting, sitting on a flat, open piece of land or near a bush in order to notice enemies in time. While everyone is resting, the leader stands guard. At the slightest danger, he gives a signal and all the animals leave, without stopping for several kilometers.

Vision and sense of smell are well developed; the animal can see a moving object at a distance of up to 1 km. Bactrian camels run fast - up to 60 km/h. In cold weather, they migrate south and stick to mountains or oases (not occupied by humans). Camels, like all animals from the callous family (llamas, alpacas, vicunas, etc.) can spit cud at each other. Bactrian can also spit at a person if he believes that he is dangerous, but this happens quite rarely. In defense, it kicks like a horse, can bite, and some even trample with its front legs. During hurricanes, animals can lie motionless for several days. In extreme heat, they fan themselves with their tails and stick out their tongues (like dogs). They approach water sources once every few days, but if the source is inaccessible, then camels go without water for 2-3 weeks, eating succulent plants. Swims well. It slips in slush and ice and can fall. Camels amble.

In the warm season, Bactrians are found alone or in small groups (6-20 individuals), consisting of females and young people, headed by a leader. In winter, animals gather in herds (up to 100 individuals). The size of the herd depends on the amount of food.

Nutrition

The Bactrian camel is an exclusively herbivorous animal and, like the Bactrian camel, can feed on the coarsest and least nutritious food. It is able to eat plants with such spines that no other animal is able to eat. The camel's diet includes 33 of the 50 main plant species of the desert flora of Kazakhstan.

Wild camels feed mainly on shrub and semi-shrub hodgepodge, love onions, barnyard grass, and parfolia with its juicy large leaves, eat ephedra and young shoots of saxaul, and in the fall in oases they willingly eat poplar leaves and reeds. When there are no other sources of food, camels eat animal bones and skins, as well as objects made from them.

Camels come to the springs no more than once every few days. If they are disturbed there, they can go without water for two or even three weeks - especially in the summer, when there is a lot of moisture in the plants after the rains. The Bactrian camel is notable for its ability to drink brackish water from desert reservoirs without harm to health. This, however, apparently only applies to wild camels - domestic ones avoid drinking salt water. In general, the animal's need for salt is very high - for this reason, domestic camels need to ensure the constant availability of salt bars. Camels in general and Bactrian camels in particular are known for their ability to drink huge amounts of water at once. In case of severe dehydration, Bactrian is capable of drinking more than 100 liters at a time.

If there is a good food supply, both wild and domestic camels become very fat by autumn. But camels suffer more than, for example, horses in winter from deep snow and especially ice, since due to the lack of real hooves, they cannot, like horses, dig out the snow and feed on the vegetation underneath it. Therefore, nomadic peoples, such as the Kazakhs, had a practice of sequential grazing of livestock in winter - first, herds of horses were allowed into the lands, which trampled and stirred up the snow, and then camels and cows, who were content with not eating the horses (in the third place they were allowed sheep).

Number

The wild population of Bactrians remains only in Mongolia and China (Gobi and Taklimakan deserts). The wild Bactrian camel is listed in the International Red Book. The estimated population size is about 500 mature individuals.

Bactrian cameland man

The Bactrian camel was domesticated by humans more than 1,000 years ago. Used for transporting goods (a camel can carry 150-450 kg of cargo). Wool, milk, fat, meat, bones and droppings are used by the local population for their needs. Wool and hides are used to make blankets, clothing, carpets and tents; fat is used in cooking; the milk is very fatty and filling; dried droppings are used as fuel. Creates hybrids with domestic camels. The wild animals are hunted by farmers due to competition with domestic camels for food.

Hunting wild horses is extremely difficult; Moreover, such a hunt can only be undertaken in winter, when snow falls in the waterless desert. Then at least you won't die of thirst. But at this time, hunters will be plagued by severe frosts day after day. To hide from them even at night, you need to take a felt yurt with you; then you should stock up on food and generally equip a small caravan, since on such a hunt you will have to travel many hundreds of miles and spend a month of time. I personally managed to meet only two herds of wild horses. It was possible to sneak up on one of these herds with a well-aimed shot, but the animals sensed my comrade in the wind, at least a mile away, and started to leave. The stallion ran ahead, sticking out his tail and arching his neck, generally with a completely horse-like carriage; he was followed by seven, probably females. From time to time the animals stopped, crowded, looked in my direction and sometimes kicked each other; then they ran at a trot again and finally disappeared into the desert. It is remarkable that in the mentioned herd two specimens were some kind of piebald - it was impossible to get a good look at them.

With the exception of Zhungaria, kartag is not found anywhere else. Thus, the formerly extensive, as paleontological research shows, area of distribution of the wild horse in Europe and Asia is now limited to only a small corner of the Central Asian desert. There are no wild horses in other parts of it. I can now say positively about this. The stories of the Mongols, which I heard in Ala-shan, during my first (1870-1873) trip to Central Asia, about herds of wild horses on Lob-Nor, turned out to be fiction.

Wild camel. In contrast to the wild horse, the existence of which was still unknown in Central Asia, the wild camel (gamelus bactrianus ferus), living in the same Central Asian desert, was rumored to have been known already six centuries ago, since the time of Marco Polo, who is the first European to mention this animal. Even earlier, according to Sinologists, it is repeatedly mentioned in Chinese chronicles. In times closer to us, the wild camel was mentioned by Dugald and Pallas, and among the newest travelers - Shaw, Forzeit, Bellew, Elias, Pevtsov and others ( 20 ). But not one of them personally saw or observed a wild camel; Only stories heard from the natives were reported. Even the question of the existence of a truly wild camel was subject to doubt, since many naturalists, including the famous Cuvier ( 21 ), it was believed that camels living freely in some areas of Central Asia are only wild animals that left their owners or were released by them, according to the custom of Buddhists. However, Pallas held the opposite opinion and believed that camels living in freedom were completely wild animals.

I was lucky enough to find a wild camel in its homeland. in the Lob-Nor deserts, and this is a wonderful animal to observe here. His character and way of life were described by me at the same time, in a report on the trip to Lop-nor. At the same time, I expressed that the camels I found are wild animals. This opinion is confirmed by I. S. Polyakov, who made a special zoological description of the wild camel based on specimens and skulls brought by me from Lop-Nor, as well as those obtained in 1878 by Kirghiz hunters in the sands of southern Zhungaria.

According to Polyakov’s research, the zoological differences between a wild camel and a domestic one (also a two-humped one) are small and consist mainly in the small humps of wild specimens; then in the absence of these last calluses on the knees of the front legs. The skulls of wild camels, when compared with the skulls of domesticated Bactrians, show differences only in small details. But, on the other hand, the skulls of the two-humped and one-humped camels and their fossil counterpart, recently found on the Volga, are also very similar.

This phenomenon can only be explained by the sameness of food, climate, terrain, in a word, all those physical and geographical conditions among which both domestic and wild camels lived and live. It is clear that in the absence of changing causes, no significant changes could occur in the type of animal, changes that, according to the laws of “developmental relationships,” would also be reflected in the structure of the skull. Only the backs of domestic and wild camels, as Polyakov rightly points out, have not been in the same conditions for many centuries. The domestic camel has been carrying luggage for thousands of years; his wild brother does not know this. That is why the small coats of arms of wild camels, perhaps due to less development or even a slightly changed position of those processes on the dorsal vertebrae that form the hump, constitute a very important zoological feature. Unfortunately, the skeleton of a wild camel is not yet in museums.

I will not repeat here what I have already said in the above-mentioned report on the trip to Lop-Nor regarding the lifestyle and habits of the wild camel. During our current trip to Tibet, we did not hunt (due to lack of time) for this animal, although we passed through the areas inhabited by it.

Now it is possible to accurately indicate the areas of Central Asia where wild camels still live. Everywhere these areas are marked by inaccessible shifting sands, in which the described animal takes refuge from humans. In general, the distribution area of the wild camel is incomparably larger than the area of residence of the wild horse. The remains of this latter were preserved only in Zhungaria. The wild camel occupies the deserts of the lower Tarim, Lob-nor and Khamiyskaya; then lives, in sufficient numbers, in the sands of southern Zhungaria, north of the cities of Guchen and Manas; finally, on the Tibetan Plateau he lives in northwestern Tsaidam - in the sands near the Syrtyn tract and in the desert surroundings of lake. Khyitun-nora.

Our way from the lake. Gashun-nor. Let's start again about the journey.

After standing for four days on the lake. Gashun-nor, we hired a tourist guide and headed south directly to the city of Barkul. Kirghiz Mirzash, who had previously accompanied us from Zaisan, but did not know the way further, was released back and rewarded for his services. With a new guide, we set out on May 2 and on the same day we left southern Altai behind us. Its spurs, which until now had accompanied the left banks of the Bulugun and upper Urungu, abruptly ended. Ahead of us lies an immense plain, bounded in the south by the rather high Baytyk ridge and its lower eastern extensions, bearing the names Khaptyk and Barlyk. To the east, the mentioned plain disappeared beyond the horizon; in the west, that is, to the right of our path, no high mountains, perhaps constituting a continuation of the Kutus ridge, located on the left bank of the Urungu, near the turn of the Guchen road.

From the Kholusutai-bulyk spring there was a waterless journey of 74 versts. Therefore, we stocked up on water and set off in the afternoon to spend the night, having covered a third of the way; the next day, the remaining two-thirds passed and, very tired, almost at night, they pitched their bivouac on the Khyltyge spring, at the eastern foot of the Baytyk mountains. These latter were visible to us quite clearly for another fifty miles. It seemed that we would soon reach the desired place. Meanwhile, an hour, two, three passed in continuous movement - and yet the mountains did not noticeably approach.

The deceitfulness of distances. So everywhere, distances in the deserts of Central Asia are deceptive, even more so for a beginner, of course, if only the atmosphere is free from dust raised by the wind. In particular, high mountains are clearly visible at a great distance. So, for example, the Tien Shan from the Zhungarian desert is visible quite well for two hundred miles. We could see the huge peak of the same Tien Shan - Bogdo-ul, standing near Guchen, from the heights on the river. Urungu, near the turn of the Guchen road, therefore 250 versts. The reasons for such a range, and at the same time the deceptiveness of the observed distances in the flat desert areas, are: firstly, in the thinness, dryness, and therefore transparency of the air, especially at high altitudes; then in the absence, for the most part, of intermediate objects; finally, in the contrast of plains and mountains, which usually appear side by side, without a gradual transition.

Currently, there are two types of domestic camels: one-humped - dromedaries(sometimes called dromedaries) and two-humped - bactrians.

Dromedary camels are animals of hot climates; they are most abundant in the countries of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Bactrians are adapted to harsh frosty winters; their homeland is the harsh deserts of Central Asia. Bactrian camels can be found in Mongolia, Central Asian countries and even in Russia (they are bred in Kalmykia and Tuva).

Camels were domesticated 3.5–4 thousand years ago (and possibly earlier). People have long discovered the amazing adaptability of these animals to life in harsh desert conditions and made them their assistants, learning to use their meat, wool, milk and, of course, strength.

Wild dromedary camels do not exist in nature. Moreover, there is no consensus among scientists about where domestic dromedaries came from. Some believe that the wild dromedary camel was found in the territory of modern Turkey, Arabia and even Europe 10 thousand years ago, but was exterminated by humans or became extinct itself. Others say that the domestic one-humped camel could have descended from the two-humped camel. In any case, Bactrians sometimes give birth to dromedary camels.

In the 19th century, it was believed that there were no wild Bactrian camels, but the famous Russian explorer of Asia Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky found wild Bactrians in the deserts of China in 1878. (During the same expedition, he also discovered a wild horse, which is now known as Przewalski's horse.) Wild camels are more graceful than domestic ones, they are longer-legged, and their humps are smaller. Scientists do not know for sure whether wild Bactrians are the ancestors of domestic ones or whether domestic Bactrian camels descended from another species that did not survive to this day.

Since the mid-40s of the twentieth century, wild camels began to be studied and taken under protection. In October 2002, there were approximately 950 wild Bactrians and they were classified as critically endangered. There are probably even fewer of them now. In May 2006, wild Bactrians were listed in the International Red List of Rare and Endangered Species of Animals. Wild camels live today far from human settlements in the Mongolian Gobi Desert on the border with China (in Mongolia, wild camels are also called habtagai) and in China itself in the Taklamakan Desert. They are constantly at risk of dying of thirst (due to lack of watering places) or being shot by humans.

In contrast, Australia's "wild" dromedary camels are not in danger of extinction. Moreover, the number of these animals is now so large that it is causing serious concern to farmers. Enlarged herds of wild camels drink all the water intended for sheep and cows and damage crops. The authorities were even forced to allow the shooting of these animals in order to save Agriculture countries.

True, these are not real wild camels, but wild descendants of domesticated dromedaries, brought to Australia from the Old World in the mid-80s of the 19th century to transport goods across the Australian deserts. But soon, with the advent of trains and trucks, camels were no longer needed and they were released into the wild. There are no large predators in Australia, therefore, unconstrained by anything, the animals quickly multiplied.

Answered: Irina Gordeeva, Vladimir Pechenkin