This is a two-humped camel. It is found in the Gobi desert and the grasslands (steppes) of Asia. The temperature extremes of its natural habitat mean that the camel is able to withstand very hot days and freezing cold nights.
These hardy mammals are herbivores, feeding on grass, leaves and grains - preferring dry, prickly, salty and bitter food. They have very strong mouths that can eat thorns! The camel can live up to 30 years, grow to over 7’ (2m) at the hump and weigh more than 110 stones (725kg).
The two humps on the camel's back do not contain water, but a kind of fat, which the camels use as nutrition when food and water are scarce. A camel can go without food and water for 3-4 days. When they do drink they only ‘top up’ their existing reserves, but even so this can mean them drinking 32 gallons (120 litres) of water at a time!
