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HOO knew?
Every Day Is Hump Day
For camels, that is! But why do camels
have humps?
No, it’s not to store water as commonly believed, although it can
extract water from it. The camel has no layer of fat under its skin
like most mammals. The hump is a large deposit of fat, weighing up to eight pounds, that
the camel can use for food and water in times of need. By breaking down the fat into hydrogen
and oxygen, water is formed.
A camel can go for days and weeks without water or food. When it does, its hump shrinks as
its energy and water are used up. When it finally gets water, it can drink up to thirty gallons
at one time. Camels can eat almost anything they find growing in the desert, even cacti.
Their mouths have extremely thick skin, which cactus needles cannot penetrate.
Speaking of humps, the Dromedary, or Arabian Camel, has only one hump, while the
Bactrian camel has two.
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