Book 1, Question 43
Why Do Camels Have Humps? It's Not What You Think!
Many people think a camel's hump holds water, but the page says it does not. The hump is a fat backpack, and keeping fat in one place helps the rest of the body dump heat in the hot desert. Drinking water is stored in the camel's gut and blood, not the hump. A camel can drink more than 100 liters of water in just 10 to 15 minutes. Compare how humans store fat, scattered around the body, with a camel's tower-like hump.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Arabian camels, also called dromedaries, have one hump. Bactrian camels have two.
- A dromedary's hump can store up to 80 pounds of fat.
- A camel can break down that fat into energy and water when food is hard to find.
- Thanks to their humps, camels can travel up to 100 desert miles without water.
- Camels rarely sweat, even when it is 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so they hold on to the water they drink.
- Baby camels are born with their eyes open and can run when they are only a few hours old.
- Camels walk by moving both legs on one side of the body forward at the same time, like giraffes.
- The only truly wild camels left are Bactrian camels in the Gobi desert of Mongolia and China. There are fewer than 400.
Sources: National Geographic, National Geographic Kids
Questions kids ask
How far can a camel go without water?
Up to about 100 desert miles, thanks to the fat stored in its hump and the way it saves water.
How many humps does a camel have?
Arabian camels, or dromedaries, have one. Bactrian camels have two.