Camels belong to the category of ruminant mammals. They were domesticated thousands of years ago. In nutrition, camels are unpretentious and gladly consume almost any food offered to them.
Camels are highly prized by many peoples. This is due primarily to the benefits that these animals bring. Their maintenance does not bring much difficulty, and in terms of endurance, animals are several times superior to a horse. There is an interesting legend about camels. There is a gate in Jerusalem, which is called the "Eye of the Needle". In ancient times, they played the role of the so-called customs. Camels were used to transport goods for trade, the quantity of which could be limited. The animals were driven through narrow passages, and if, because of their cargo, they could not get through the gates, then extra bales were forbidden to be transported across the trade border.
Camel nutrition in its natural environment
In natural conditions, the camel even eats such plant foods that many representatives of the animal world do not dare to try. In this case, thorns and cacti are meant. The main requirement of the camel's body is salt. Desert plants are just the same are distinguished by a high content of this component. In addition, animals can consume very salty water, which is detrimental to most desert inhabitants.
Due to the numerous calluses on the body, camels do not feel the hot desert sand, so they can lie on it even in open areas.
The camel is constantly in search of salt. The animal eats salty clay, which forms naturally in areas devoid of vegetation. The ability to eat rough and even prickly food is due to the special structure of the camel's mouth. His mucous membranes do not feel pain at all.
The roots of some desert plants have a high moisture content. It is this type of food that attracts the attention of camels during periods of particular drought. Favorite plant foods for animals are desert acacia and saxaul. In total, more than 50 species of grass, shrubs and trees grow in the desert, which are not suitable for food for most animals, but are readily eaten by camels.
The hump is a source of fat
There is a widespread belief that liquid accumulates in the hump of a camel, so the animal can go without water for a long time. Indeed, he needs a hump to replenish vitality and energy during a period of lack of food and water, only fat does not accumulate on his back.
The hump is not only a source of fat for a camel, but also a biological feature beneficial in desert conditions. The fact is that camels use moisture and energy very economically. They don't sweat at all. It is the humps that help them in this. If fat were distributed throughout the animal's body, then the process of cooling it under the scorching rays of the sun would be impossible.
The camel has an unusual food preference. If plant food cannot be found, then they can eat bones of corpses and skins of dead animals. Camels are infrequent guests near desert reservoirs. Animals come here once every few weeks.
Features of feeding camels in captivity
One of the main features of camels is the ability to go without food and water for a long time. This fact must be taken into account when keeping an animal in captivity. Fasting for a camel is a normal state, and overfeeding can cause numerous diseases, including fatal obesity.
Camels trapped in green meadows can die from lack of food. More precisely - from a lack of salty food. Excessive consumption of grass leads to dehydration of the body of this animal.
Domestic camels consume a wide variety of food - hay, cereals and legumes, rusks and flour. In addition, there are facts confirming that these animals have a special interest in soups and buckwheat porridge.
