Mirror of Research in Veterinary Sciences and Animals (Jul 2016)
Camels and adaptation to water lack
Abstract
The camel is truly multi- purpose animal. For hundreds of years the camel had been exploited by man in Asia and Africa in arid and semiarid areas - often being the onlysupplier of food and transport for people. Camel is beast of burden and provider of milk, meat, and hides. The camel has shown to be better adapted to extreme conditions in most aspects than other domestic ruminants.The camel has an exceptional tolerance to dehydration of the body. It has a low evaporation, a low output of urine, and a low loss of water with feces, so it can go a very long time without water. In severe dehydration the plasma volume of camel is only slightly reduced. The camel is able to drink in 10 minutes about one third of its body weight water. After that the camel shows no signs of water intoxication. The camel does not drink more than necessary to obtain a normal water of the body. The camel is truly multi-purpose animal. For hundreds of years the camel had been exploited by man in Asia and Africa in arid and semiarid areas - often being the only supplier of food and transport for people. Camel is beast of burden and provider of milk, meat, and hides. The camel has shown to be better adapted to extreme conditions in most aspects than other domestic ruminants.
