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The Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), also known as the Mongolian camel, domestic Bactrian camel or two-humped camel, is a camel native to the steppes of Central Asia. It has two humps on its back, in contrast to the single-humped dromedary.Template:Efn Its population of 2 million exists mainly in the domesticated form.<ref name=EDGE>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their name comes from the ancient historical region of Bactria.<ref name=ARKBIODIV>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Domesticated Bactrian camels have served as pack animals in inner Asia since ancient times. With its tolerance for cold, drought, and high altitudes, it enabled the travel of caravans on the Silk Road. Bactrian camels, whether domesticated or feral, are a separate species from the wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus), which is the only truly wild (as opposed to feral) species of camelid in the Old World. Domestic Bactrian camels do not descend from wild Bactrian camels, with the two species having split around 1 million years ago.
TaxonomyEdit
Template:CladogramThe Bactrian camel shares the genus Camelus with the dromedary (C. dromedarius) and the wild Bactrian camel (C. ferus). The Bactrian camel belongs to the family Camelidae.<ref name = MSW3>Template:MSW3 Artiodactyla</ref><ref name=colin>Template:Cite book</ref> The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle was the first European to describe the camels: in his 4th century BCE History of Animals, he identified the one-humped Arabian camel and the two-humped Bactrian camel.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Bactrian camel was given its current binomial name Camelus bactrianus by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 publication Systema Naturae.<ref name=SN>Template:Cite book</ref>
Though sharing a closer common ancestor with it than with the dromedary, the domestic Bactrian camel does not descend from the wild Bactrian camel, with the two species having diverged hundreds of thousands of years ago, with their mitochondrial genomes estimated to have diverged around 1 million years ago. Genetic evidence suggests that both Bactrian camel species are closely related to the extinct giant camel species Camelus knoblochi which became extinct around 20,000 years ago, which is equidistant from both living Bactrian camel species.<ref name=Yuanetal2024></ref>
The Bactrian camel and the dromedary often interbreed to produce fertile offspring. Where the ranges of the two species overlap, such as in northern Punjab, Iran and Afghanistan, the phenotypic differences between them tend to decrease as a result of extensive crossbreeding between them. The fertility of their hybrid has given rise to speculation that the Bactrian camel and the dromedary should be merged into a single species with two varieties.<ref name="camel">Template:Cite book</ref> However, a 1994 analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene revealed that the species display 10.3% divergence in their sequences.<ref name="stanley">Template:Cite journal</ref>
DescriptionEdit
The Bactrian camel is the largest mammal in its native range and is the largest living camel while being shorter at the shoulder than the dromedary. Shoulder height is from Template:Convert with the overall height ranging from Template:Convert,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> head-and-body length is Template:Convert, and the tail length is Template:Convert. At the top of the humps, the average height is Template:Convert.
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Body mass can range from Template:Convert, with males weighing around Template:Convert, and females around Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="EDGE" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its long, wooly coat varies in colour from dark brown to sandy beige. A mane and beard of long hair occurs on the neck and throat, with hairs measuring up to Template:Convert long.
The shaggy winter coat is shed extremely rapidly, with huge sections peeling off at once, appearing as if sloppily shorn. The two humps on the back are composed of fat (not water as is sometimes thought). The face is typical of a camelid, being long and somewhat triangular, with a split upper lip. The long eyelashes, along with the sealable nostrils, help to keep out dust in the frequent sandstorms which occur in their natural range. The two broad toes on each foot have undivided soles and are able to spread widely as an adaptation to walking on sand. The feet are very tough, as befits an animal of extreme environments.
Natural habitatEdit
These camels are migratory, and their habitat ranges from rocky mountain massifs to flat steppe, arid desert, (mostly the Gobi Desert), stony plains and sand dunes. Conditions are extremely harsh – vegetation is sparse, water sources are limited and temperatures are extreme. The coat of the Bactrian camel can withstand cold as low as Template:Convert in winter to Template:Convert in summer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The camels' distribution is linked to the availability of water, with large groups congregating near rivers after rain or at the foot of the mountains, where water can be obtained from springs in the summer months, and in the form of snow during the winter.
Life historyEdit
Bactrian camels are exceptionally adept at withstanding wide variations in temperature, ranging from freezing cold to blistering heat. They can go without water for months at a time, but when water is available they may drink up to 57 liters at once.Template:Cn When well fed, the humps are plump and erect, but as resources decline, they shrink and lean to the side. When moving faster than a walking speed, they pace, by stepping forwards with both legs on the same side (as opposed to trotting, using alternate diagonals as done by most other quadrupeds). Speeds of up to Template:Convert have been recorded, but they rarely move this fast.Template:Fact Bactrian camels are also saidTemplate:Bywho to be good swimmers. Their sense of sight is well developed and their sense of smell is extremely good. The lifespan of Bactrian camels is estimated at up to 50 years, more often 20 to 40 in captivity.Template:Fact
DietEdit
Bactrian camels are diurnal, sleeping in the open at night and foraging for food during the day. They are primarily herbivorous. With tough mouths that can withstand sharp objects such as thorns, they are able to eat plants that are dry, prickly, salty or bitter, and can ingest virtually any kind of vegetation. When other nutrient sources are not available, these camels may feed on carcasses, gnawing on bones, skin, or various different kinds of flesh. In more extreme conditions, they may eat any material they find, which has included rope, sandals, and even tents. Their ability to feed on a wide range of foods allows them to live in areas with sparse vegetation. The first time food is swallowed, it is not fully chewed. The partly masticated food (called cud) goes into the stomach and later is brought back up for further chewing.
Bactrian camels belong to a fairly small group of animals that regularly eat snow to provide their water needs. Animals living above the snowline may have to do this, as snow and ice can be the only forms of water during winter, and by doing so, their range is greatly enlarged. The latent heat of snow and ice is large compared with the heat capacity of water, forcing animals to eat only small amounts at a time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReproductionEdit
Bactrian camels are induced ovulators – they ovulate after insemination (insertion of semen into the vagina); the seminal plasma, not the spermatozoa, induces ovulation. Ovulation occurs in 87% of females after insemination: 66% ovulate within 36 hours and the rest by 48 hours (the same as natural mating). The least amount of semen required to elicit ovulation is about 1.0 ml.<ref name="Chen">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Males during mating time are often quite violent and may bite, spit, or attempt to sit on other male camels. The age of sexual maturity varies, but is usually reached at 3–5 years. Gestation lasts around 13 months. One or occasionally two calves are produced, and the female can give birth to a new calf every other year. Young Bactrian camels are precocial, being able to stand and run shortly after birth, and are fairly large at an average birth weight of Template:Convert. They are nursed for about 1.5 years. The young calf stays with its mother for three to five years, until it reaches sexual maturity, and often helps raise subsequent generations for those years. Wild camels sometimes breed with domesticated or feral camels. Bactrian camels have been domesticated for thousands of years and are widely bred by pastoralist and agricultural communities across Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of China and Mongolia. Breeding practices vary by region, but most focus on traits such as hardiness, milk production, load-bearing ability, and temperament. In Mongolia, herders traditionally manage breeding by selectively mating camels during the rutting season, often using older, experienced bulls known for their vigor and fertility. These males are isolated with females to encourage mating and reduce aggression toward other camels. <ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
In Iran and parts of Afghanistan, camel breeding is commonly integrated into mixed farming systems, where camels provide transport and milk alongside other livestock. Semen collection and artificial insemination techniques are increasingly used in breeding programs in Central Asia, particularly in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, to improve genetic stock and ensure ovulation timing aligns with optimal conditions for conception. <ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
In China’s Xinjiang region, large-scale camel farms are maintained by both government-supported operations and private breeders, focusing on conserving the genetics of the domesticated Bactrian camel and improving reproductive efficiency. Advances in veterinary care, nutritional supplementation, and controlled breeding environments have increased calving rates in recent decades. <ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Across these regions, breeding cycles are timed to coincide with favorable seasonal conditions to maximize calf survival. Female camels are usually bred every two years to allow for full recovery after gestation and lactation, although in some cases, higher-frequency breeding is practiced under intensive management systems. Offspring are commonly used in transportation, wool production, or sold in local markets, forming a critical part of the livelihood for many camel-rearing communities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Climate adaptationsEdit
The Bactrian camel has shaggy fur that keeps them warm.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They live in areas with extreme temperatures, ranging from intense cold to severe heat. When it gets warm out, their shaggy coat will shed, helping the camel control its body temperature.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Bactrian camel has two humps to store the energy the get from fat.<ref name=":1" /> If energy sources become scarce, camels can rely on the energy stored in their humps.<ref name=":1" /> Their humps also allow them to hold up to 35 gallons of water at a time.<ref name=":1" />
GenomeEdit
The Template:Visible anchor provides a C. bactrianus ferus genome using next generation sequencing.<ref name="Seq-Consort-2012"> This review...
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Several effective population size studies have been carried out.<ref name = "Burger-2016" /> They show several bottlenecks in both wild and domesticated Bactrians over the past 350,000 years.<ref name="Burger-2016">
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Relationship to humansEdit
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The Bactrian camel was domesticated circa ~2,500 BCE.<ref name="MacHugh-et-al-2017">Template:Cite journal</ref> The dromedary is believed to have been domesticated between 4000 BCE and 2000 BCE in Arabia. As pack animals, these ungulates are virtually unsurpassed, able to carry Template:Convert at a rate of Template:Convert per day, or Template:Convert over a period of four days.<ref name=rahimdad>Rahimdad Khan Molai Shedai; Janat ul Sindh 3rd edition 1993; Sindhi Adbi Board Jamshoro, page 20</ref> The species was a mainstay of transportation on the Silk Road.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Bactrian camel was an important aspect in human transportation, they were able to withstand harsh conditions, which made them ideal for long distance travel. Furthermore, Bactrian camels are frequently ridden, especially in desertified areas. In ancient Sindh, for example, Bactrian camels of two humps were initially used by the rich for riding. The camel was later brought to other areas such as Balochistan and Iran for the same purpose.<ref name=rahimdad/>
Bactrian camels have been the focus of artwork throughout history. For example, westerners from the Tarim Basin and elsewhere were depicted in numerous ceramic figurines of the Chinese Tang dynasty (618–907).Template:Cn
United States importsEdit
Bactrian camels were imported to the U.S. several times in the mid- to late 19th century, both by the U.S. military and by merchants and miners, looking for pack animals sturdier and hardier than horses and mules. Although the camels met these needs, the United States Camel Corps was never considered much of a success. Having brought two shipments of fewer than 100 camels to the U.S., plans were made to import another 1,000, but the US Civil War interrupted this. Most surviving camels of these endeavors, both military and private, were turned loose to survive in the wild. As a result, small feral herds of Bactrian camels existed during the late 19th century in the southwest deserts of the United States.<ref name="Zentner experiment">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
One United States Camel Corps camel was later sold to Ringling Brothers and was also in several early Hollywood films.<ref name=lanhm>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
DocumentariesEdit
- The Story of the Weeping Camel is a 2003 Mongolian docudrama about a family of nomadic shepherds trying to get a white calf accepted by his mother, which rejected him after a difficult birth.
Military useEdit
The Indian Army uses these camels to patrol in Ladakh. It was concluded that after carrying out trials and doing a comparative study with a single-humped camel brought from Rajasthan that the double-humped camel is better suited for the task at hand. Colonel Manoj Batra, a veterinary officer of the Indian Army, stated that the double-humped camel "are best suited for these conditions. They can carry loads of Template:Convert at more than Template:Convert which is much more than the ponies that are being used as of now. They can survive without water for at least 72 hours."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
GalleryEdit
- Riding Bactrian camel Nubra.jpg
Riding in Nubra Valley, India
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Mongolia
- Camels in Kosh-Agachsky District.jpg
- Bactrian camel in Kyzyllkum.jpg
Bactrian Camels in the Kyzyl Kum Desert
- Camel Farm in Mongolia 02.jpg
Farm in Central Mongolia
- SpeakingCamel altColour US7FerrisburghVT 20151011 (39646557970).jpg
Farm in Vermont, US
- Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) in Tallinn Zoo (March 2023).jpg
FootnotesEdit
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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- Template:Cite news – BBC announces discovery of camels in the Gashun Gobi region
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