Camels are animals that live in deserts and arid regionsKnown for its amazing stamina and adaptability.
Camels are known to survive in extremely dry environmentsNot even a drop of water for weeks on end!
So, how do camels do it? What kind of secrets do their humps hide?
Camels live in arid deserts with little food and only spiky cacti to eat, but camels are not afraid of the sharp spines of cactiInstead, they live on cacti, mainly due to the special structure of their oral cavity and digestive system.
The camel's lips can rotate like a steering wheel, and before devouring a cactus, it wraps it in its lips, like we thicken our clothes in cold weatherThis reduces the number of cactus stings that hurt the mouth.
The inner walls of the mouth are covered with a tough cuticle, and there are dense tapered papillae that are as hard as a stone, and these papillae can effectively block the damage of the thorn even if you swallow a cactus in a big gulpAt the same time, the saliva secreted will soften the cactus.
As ruminants, camels do not chew for long periods of time and can only swallow cacti into their stomachsBecause it has a strong digestive system.
It has 3 stomachs, the first of which produces a lot of mucus and stomach acid, and the hard stomach wall allows cacti to be chewed enoughIt softens into a dough-like shape under the action of stomach acid, which is then transported to the second stomach for thorough digestion and absorption, and the third stomach for water and acid reabsorption.
In this way, the camel was able to devour the spiky cactus for water and nutrientsSurvive in the barren desert.
This special ability to eat cacti is an evolutionary miracle of camels' long-term adaptation to the desert environmentIt has made it alive and well in the Continent of Death.
This seemingly peculiar evolutionary route is actually a helpless move by camels forced by the pressure of survival, in an arid and barren desert with sparse vegetationOnly some plants such as cacti, saxon, hay and so on barely exist.
In order to survive in such an environment, camels can only put aside picky eatersEat many other plants that animals dare not touch.
A typical example is the wolf venom weed, a plant that is highly toxic to humans, hence the name "broken intestine grass".But for camels, they are a delicacy.
Camels contain a detoxification protein called P450 that breaks down toxins in plantsLet the camels eat these poisonous plants safely.
In the eyes of camels, wolf poison weed is the emergency food in the desert, just like compressed biscuits in the eyes of humansDespite the poor taste, it can satisfy hunger.
The situation is even worse when camels are unable to find water for a long time in the desert, at this time,Camels can only rely on cacti, which has a water content of up to 90% to stay hydrated.
Despite its spikes, the cactus is a source of life for the camel that is full of nutrients and water, which is whyCamels have evolved the special ability to eat cacti.
Camels can not only devour cacti, but also eat a variety of plants such as shrubs, leaves, legumes, etc., in resource-rich areas, the camel's diet will be more diverse,You can add oats, soybeans and other ingredients.
It can be seen that camels are not picky eaters, and any edible plant in the desert can be their nourishment**.
Camels eat spiky cacti, a survival technique they have evolved in the harsh desert environmentIt is also a helpless move forced by the pressure of survival.
Their powerful digestive system, which allows them to survive on plants that are inedible to other animals in the desert, is the key to their survival in the Continent of Death.
However, camels are not just "outstanding" when it comes to foodThey don't need to drink water for weeks!
The desert environment is extremely harsh, with a scarcity of food and water, and is the limit of survival for most living thingsHowever, the camels thrive in this vast sea of sand.
Every part of the camel's body tells us the story of how it adapted to the desert, and the most striking feature is the hump, which stores enough fat for the camel to survive during periods of food scarcity, when it grows more and more deflatedThe camels knew they had to conserve their energy and wait for the rain to come.
And its stomach pouch is also huge, and it can swallow a large amount of food at once, when the camel is hydratedHump can be quickly restored within a few days.
It is worth mentioning that camels possess one or two humps, Asian camels usually have two, and Arabian camels have only oneThe amount of fat stored in the hump is up to 40 kg.
Oxidation can produce about 45 kg of waterEnough to sustain camels in the desert for 8-10 days.
When food is scarce, the camel uses the hump's nutrient reservoir, and the hump gradually emaciates once it has regained its food supplyWithin a few days, the hump will be full again.
The camel's red blood cells are oval-shaped and can transport nutrients and oxygen even when they are dehydrated, even if a quarter of the body is lostCamels are also not life-threatening.
It can save water by regulating body temperature and reducing perspiration, even when standing in the scorching sun, and the optimal temperature range for camels is 33-40 degrees Celsius, which is significantly higher than the 37 degrees Celsius for humansThis creates the conditions for it to conserve water in the hot desert.
Camels can selectively lower the temperature of certain areas of their body while maintaining the temperature of their core, and they usually find shade to rest or stand in the shadow of other camelsMinimize direct sunlight exposure as much as possible.
Camels also sweat more slowly than humans, and sweat evaporates under the skin to take away the heat, which cools down.
Its mouth has a hard papillaeCan eat thorny plants in the desert without damageCamels are never picky eaters, have what to eat, and make the most of the scarce resources in the desert.
Its oral mastoid is made of keratin, which can directly protect the oral cavityYou can also run the thorn down as you chew.
The camel's favorite food is the cactus, which has a water content of up to 90%, despite its spiky appearanceCamels can still be easily feasted upon.
Someone once witnessed the whole process of camels eating cacti and was deeply amazed by the unique talent of camels, and when they were hungry, camels ate almost everythingEven carrion, leather shoes, and rope can enter the abdomen.
It is the uniqueness of the camel's body structure that makes it an exclusive desert creature, the innate talent of the camelWith efficient metabolismto make it thrive in a barren environment.
The camel teaches us that the resilience of life comes from within, not from without, and that its ability to adapt to its environment is worth learningOnly then can we open up the path of hope in the predicament.