Ever wonder how these magnificent creatures ended up here? The story of the Camels in Mongolia is an epic tale of adaptation and survival. These aren’t just any camels. They are Bactrian camels, also known as Mongolian camels. They have two humps on their backs.
The name “Bactrian” comes from the ancient region of Bactria. Domesticated Bactrian camels have served as pack animals in inner Asia since ancient times. They are tolerant of cold, drought, and high altitudes. They enabled caravans to travel on the Silk Road.
Bactrian camels are different from wild Bactrian camels. The wild Bactrian is the only truly wild species of camelid in the Old World. Domestic Bactrian camels did not descend from wild Bactrian camels. The two species split around 1 million years ago.
The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle described these camels in the 4th century BCE. He identified the one-humped Arabian camel and the two-humped Bactrian camel. Carl Linnaeus gave the Bactrian camel its current name Camelus bactrianus in 1758.
Bactrian camels are the largest mammals in their native range. Shoulder height is about 160 to 180 cm. Overall height ranges from 230 to 250 cm. Body mass can range from 300 to 1000 kg. Their long wooly coat varies in color from dark brown to sandy beige. They have a mane and beard of long hair on the neck and throat.
The two humps are composed of fat not water. The long eyelashes and sealable nostrils keep out dust. The two broad toes on each foot spread widely. This helps them walk on sand.
These Camels are migratory. Their habitat ranges from rocky mountain massifs to flat steppe. They live in arid deserts and stony plains. Conditions are extremely harsh. Vegetation is sparse. Water sources are limited. Temperatures are extreme. The coat of the Camels can withstand cold as low as -30 °C in winter to 50 °C in summer.
Bactrian camels can withstand wide variations in temperature. They can go without water for months. When water is available they may drink up to 57 liters at once. When well fed, the humps are plump. As resources decline, the humps shrink.
These camels are diurnal sleeping in the open at night and foraging for food during the day. They are primarily herbivorous. Their tough mouths can withstand sharp objects such as thorns. They can eat plants that are dry prickly salty or bitter. They can ingest virtually any kind of vegetation. Sometimes they may feed on carcasses or eat rope sandals or even tents. They regularly eat snow to provide their water needs.
The Bactrian camel was domesticated circa 4500 BCE. They can carry 170–250 kg at a rate of 47 kilometers per day. The species was a mainstay of transportation on the Silk Road.
The wild camel is critically endangered. It is one of the most endangered animals on the planet. It survives only in southwest Mongolia and northwest China. The wild camel is a separate species from the domesticated Bactrian camel. Wild camels have adapted to drink salt water. Domestic Bactrian camels cannot do the same.
Scientists still don’t know how the wild camel can absorb and secrete the salt water. With an estimated population of less than 1000 remaining in the wild, it is the 8th most endangered large mammal on the planet.
Many factors threaten its survival. These include habitat loss desertification and hybridisation with the domestic Bactrian camel.
These Bactrian camels are living testaments to resilience. They remind us of the delicate balance between nature and human activity. They inspire us to protect these incredible creatures and their fragile habitat for generations to come.