A camel is a large mammal built for surviving in deserts, where most animals would quickly die from heat and thirst. Camels have several remarkable adaptations: they can drink up to 30 gallons of water at once and then go weeks without drinking again. They store fat (not water, as many people think) in the distinctive humps on their backs, which their bodies can convert to energy and water when food is scarce. Their wide, padded feet work like snowshoes for sand, keeping them from sinking. Long eyelashes and closable nostrils protect against sandstorms.

For thousands of years, camels have been essential to people living in deserts across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. They carry heavy loads across terrain where cars and trucks struggle, earning them the nickname “ships of the desert.” Traders once relied entirely on camel caravans to transport silk, spices, and other goods along routes like the famous Silk Road.

There are two main species: dromedary camels, with one hump, live in hot deserts; Bactrian camels, with two humps, live in the cold deserts of Central Asia. Despite their grumpy reputation (they do spit when annoyed!), camels are intelligent, hardy animals perfectly designed for one of Earth's harshest environments.