Adaptations


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The one-humped camel has made a mulitude of adaptations being one of the only mammals able to tolerate and thrive in desert like conditions. Some of the major ones include...

Hump: The primary hump on the back of the camel is composed of fat bound together by fibrous tissue which acts as storage for times of need. The size of the hump is dependant on the camel's nutritional status, becoming smaller and leaning to one side during times of starvation.

Lips: Their lips are thickened to allow the consumption of coarse, thorny plants.

Feet: The feet are pad-shaped and formed to walk on sand and are easily injured on sharp stones and hard surfaces. The feet also are unsuitable for slippery and muddy conditions.

Cooling mechanism: The cooling mechanism unlike many mammels does not begin until the core temperature reachs 104 to 107.5 degrees Farenheit!

It is the only mammel to have oval red blood corpuscles and lacks a gallbladder.

Nostrils: The nostrils have a slit like appearance and allow them to be closed tightly during the frequent sandstorms in arid regions.

Check out some other mammal's adaptations to arid regions

The Cheetah

The Lama

The Giraffe