Today, June 22, is the day World Camel Day 2024a date created to protect these incredible and resistant animals, which, together with their cousins the dromedaries, are victims of the greed of some people and the lack of knowledge of others, who every time they pay to ride them, end up complicit in the horror that colors their lives.
In the World Camel Day 2024Let us not forget that the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), also called two-humped camel, is a herbivorous mammal belonging to the order Artiodactyls and the family Camelidae or Bactria. The animal has been used for 4,500 years as a pack and draft animal and is also a source of milk, meat and wool. Their droppings are used as fuel in areas where there is a shortage of wood.
The Bactrian camel lives throughout Central Asia, from Iran to China, through Mongolia and especially in the Gobi Desert. In these regions he visits steppes and semi-desert areas, both on the plains and at high altitudes.
Another detail to highlight in the World Camel Day 2024, is that these animals are mainly distinguished by the presence of two humps on their back, which distinguishes them from the dromedary, which has only one. The coat is thick and woolly, with dark brown, black and beige shades.
Due to its elongated and strongly curved neck, its head is at shoulder height. The camel measures between 1.80 m and 2.30 m (not counting the humps) and weighs up to 1 ton, although females do not exceed 600 kg. Its hind legs are higher than its front legs and its lateral gait, called ambulation, allows it to move by raising both limbs on the same side at the same time.
In the World Camel Day 2024 We must take into account that its physiological and anatomical features allow it to live for a long time without food or water. The two protrusions, covered with a thick skin, are formed by fat accumulated around numerous muscle fibers. Each specimen can weigh up to 12 kilos, which represents a nutritional reserve that provides lipids in case of deficiency.
The camelid is also extremely resistant to dehydration: it can lose 20% of its weight in water without experiencing any physical problems. When the animal finds a source, it drinks copiously and consumes more than 120 liters within fifteen minutes.
The camel is not very demanding when it comes to nutrition and eats whatever it finds on its path: plants, bushes, bushes, etc. starting with its powerful lips. He eats while he walks and never stands for long. He especially appreciates salt plants and salt stones that help prevent dehydration.
Let us remember World Camel Day 2024, who is a good swimmer and a modest runner, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 25 km/h over short distances. What particularly distinguishes it is its resilience, as it can transport up to 250 kg of goods over many kilometers.
World Camel Day 2024: no to suffering tourism
When traveling to one of these deserts, one of the most popular tours is the one where a tourist can ride a camel or a dromedary. But what the unwary does not know is that behind this activity and the photo that accompanies it, in the vast majority of cases there is a lot animal abuse.
The camels and dromedaries used in these types of trips are put to work non-stop for many hours, for the sole purpose of making money at their expense. During the working day they can hardly drink or eat. And a painful metal ring is placed in their snout so that they obey and walk in ‘caravans’.
Let us remember World Camel Day 2024, that no attitude towards tourists is natural, so to gain their obedience they are mercilessly beaten until they are ‘domesticated’ and agree to do whatever their owners want. These activities are part of an endless vicious circle, which implies that not only do those who work suffer, but this is the fate that awaits all their descendants.
Starting today, if you have the opportunity to travel to the desert, do not be complicit in the pain of these animals. Please note that the World Camel Day 2024 You’ve discovered the horrible life they lead and you’ll never pay an entrance fee to take a ride on their back again because you’ll be part of the chain of suffering that binds them for life.