The Bactrian Camel
Bactrian Camels, or Camelus bactrianus, are two-humped camels that are native to Northern China and Mongolia. In 2002, these animals were placed on the endangered species list as, even though there are a total of roughly 1.4 million of these camels alive today, only an estimated 950 of these creatures live in the wild. They are listed as a critically endangered species.
They can be as big as 7 feet tall at the tip of the humps, and some of these camels can weigh as much as 1,800 pounds. They have thick, brown fur that changes with the seasons to provide adequate protection depending on the weather. They can live to be up to 50 years old.
These camels were domesticated a very long time ago, which may explain why wild camels' DNA differs somewhat considerably compared to the DNA of domesticated Bactrian Camels.
To learn more specific details about the life and habits of the Bactrian Camel, check out Planet Earth's episode, "Deserts."
As mentioned before, Bactrian Camels have been massively domesticated. Check out your local zoo - see if they have any Bactrian Camels, and if they do, check to see what they are doing to help those camels' wild cousins. Many zoos allow people to "adopt" animals, and that money goes towards that specific endangered species and the efforts to preserve them.
Thanks for listening!
Emma
