Double Humped Camels

About Double Humped Camels

• Double Humped Camels or Bactrian camels, have two humps on their backs where they store fat.
• Scientific Name: Camelus bactrianus
• Distribution:
  • They are native to the harsh and arid regions of Central Asia.
  • They occupy habitats in Central Asia from Afghanistan to China, primarily up into the Mongolian steppes and the Gobi desert.
  • A small population of Bactrian camels exists in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh.
• Features:
  • They are up to 10 feet (3.0 m) long and weigh 590-1000 kg.
  • They are smaller and more slender than the one-humped dromedary camels found in Africa and the Middle East.
  • Their fur color varies from beige to dark brown.
  • They have thick, wooly coats that provide warmth during the cold months and insulation from the desert heat, and they shed this for the summer months.
  • Lifespan: 50 years
  • They typically live in herds of 6-20 members, although they can occasionally be solitary or in groups of up to 30 individuals.
  • Diet: They are omnivores but are primarily herbivores that constantly graze on grasses.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

Q1) Where is Gobi desert?

The Gobi Desert basin lies across southern Mongolia and northwestern China between the Mongolian Altai and Khangai mountains and the Himalayan Plateau . This region is a cold desert with a continental climate and long, cold winters.

Source: Army deploys double humped camels for logistical support in eastern Ladakh