---
title: "What the sources say about the Bactrian Camel | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "49 claims from the Bactrian Camel profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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---

# What the sources say about the Bactrian Camel (*Camelus bactrianus*)

> 49 claims from the Bactrian Camel profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Bactrian Camel](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/bactrian-camel/)

## Camelus bactrianus (Bactrian camel). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Camelus_bactrianus/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Deserts, dunes and grasslands of Central Asia | Terrestrial Biomes desert or dune desert or dune savanna or grassland (note: ADW's biome list; 'savanna or grassland' kept as 'grasslands' only.) |
| Mainly grasses, plus salty, dry and thorny desert plants | primarily herbivores that constantly graze on grasses ... Camels thrive on all desert vegetation, which includes salty, dry, thorny, and bitter plants. |
| may eat fish, bones or skin when there is little or no vegetation | In times of environmental stress (little/no available vegetation), camels may eat fish, different types of flesh, bones, skin, and even shoes or other items of fabric. |
| Not Evaluated | The IUCN classifies the wild species of Bactrian camel as Camelus ferus. Interestingly, the domesticated form of this species is classified as Camelus bactrianus. (note: Domestic species: the status follows the alpaca (PR #151) and issue #376. The Red List assesses the wild camel, Camelus ferus (2008 and 2025 assessments), not the domestic form.) |
| They have few sweat glands and can let their body temperature rise 6°C before sweating, which prevents water loss. | Despite enduring high ambient temperatures, Bactrian camels have minimal sweat glands. Instead, they have the ability to tolerate an internal temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius before perspiring, which prevents water loss. |
| A Bactrian camel mainly grazes on grasses but also eats salty, dry and thorny desert plants | primarily herbivores that constantly graze on grasses ... Camels thrive on all desert vegetation, which includes salty, dry, thorny, and bitter plants. |
| including halophytes, plants that grow in very salty water. | Halophytic plants, which are plants that have been growing in water with a high saline concentration, are a necessary part of Bactrian camel's diet. |
| In winter, Bactrian camels often dig under the snow to find food | In the winter months, camels often push and dig under the snow to find food, a practice observed only in Bactrian camels. |
| when there is little or no vegetation, camels may eat fish, bones, skin and even fabric. | In times of environmental stress (little/no available vegetation), camels may eat fish, different types of flesh, bones, skin, and even shoes or other items of fabric. |
| leopards and wolves mainly ignore camels unless they are starving, because of their enormous size and how hard they are to kill. | Camels aren't the leopards and wolves' primary target because of the camels' enormous size and difficulty in killing. These predators mainly ignore camels unless they are starving. (note: 'because' is the source's own 'because of'.) |
| Two Species, One Name | The IUCN classifies the wild species of Bactrian camel as Camelus ferus. Interestingly, the domesticated form of this species is classified as Camelus bactrianus. (note: Two species (wild C. ferus, domestic C. bactrianus) both called Bactrian camel.) |
| tags: herbivore | Bactrian camels are omnivores, but are primarily herbivores that constantly graze on grasses. (note: Settle #396: carnivore removed; flesh and bones only 'In times of environmental stress (little/no available vegetation)'.) |
| tags: grassland | Terrestrial Biomes desert or dune desert or dune savanna or grassland (note: Settle #396: ADW's habitat regions are temperate, so the tropical 'savanna' tag is swapped for grassland.) |

## Camel. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/camel

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Two humps of stored fat, a shaggy winter coat, and a body that survives temperatures from minus 29°C to 49°C. | the Bactrian camel has two ... They store fat, not water ... Bactrian camels, native to the Gobi Desert in China and the Bactrian steppes of Mongolia, grow a shaggy coat in the winter for protection from the freezing cold and shed the coat during the hot summer ... These camels can survive a wide range of temperatures, from minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 29 degrees Celsius) to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius)! (note: SDZ's coat and temperature lines are about Bactrian camels specifically.) |
| Two humps that store fat, not water | The dromedary camel has one hump and the Bactrian camel has two ... But what's in those humps? They store fat, not water. |
| like other camels, a body that can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (145 liters) of water in one session. | A camel can go a week or more without water ... It can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (145 liters) of water in one drinking session! (note: SDZ states this for camels generally, hence 'like other camels'.) |
| A Bactrian camel's two humps store fat, not water. | the Bactrian camel has two ... But what's in those humps? They store fat, not water. |
| When food is scarce, the camel's body uses that fat for energy, causing the hump to lean over and droop. | The fat becomes an energy source for the camel ... When food is scarce, the camel's body uses the fat stored in the hump, causing the hump to lean over and droop. |
| Like other camels, a Bactrian camel can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (145 liters) of water in one session. | A camel can go a week or more without water ... It can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (145 liters) of water in one drinking session! (note: SDZ's figure is for camels generally, and the sentence says so.) |
| Bactrian camels grow a shaggy coat in winter, shed it in the hot summer, and can survive temperatures from minus 20°F (minus 29°C) to 120°F (49°C). | Bactrian camels, native to the Gobi Desert in China and the Bactrian steppes of Mongolia, grow a shaggy coat in the winter for protection from the freezing cold and shed the coat during the hot summer ... These camels can survive a wide range of temperatures, from minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 29 degrees Celsius) to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius)! |
| Like other camels, a Bactrian camel has a nictitating membrane, a thin, clear inner eyelid, shielding each eye from sandstorms, plus double rows of extra-long eyelashes and nostrils that close to keep sand out. | camels have special adaptations for the pesky stuff. A thin nictitating membrane on each eye, like a clear inner eyelid, protects the eyes from sandstorms ... Double rows of extra-long eyelashes also help keep sand out of the eyes. And camels can close their nostrils to keep sand out of their nose, too! (note: SDZ states these for camels generally, hence 'like other camels'.) |
| Its broad, callused feet expand when stepped on and contract when lifted, easing walks on sand or snow. | Their large, broad feet are heavily callused; they expand when stepped on and contract when lifted to simplify walking in sand or snow. |
| A grown Bactrian camel stands 5.2 to 5.9 feet (1.6 to 1.8 meters) at the shoulder and weighs 990 to 1,100 pounds (450 to 500 kilograms). | Bactrian: 10 to 11.5 feet (3.2 to 3.5 meters) long; 5.2 to 5.9 feet (1.6 to 1.8 meters) tall at shoulder; weighs 990 to 1,100 pounds (450 to 500 kilograms) when grown. |
| Like cows, camels are ruminants: they bring food back up from the stomach to chew it again. | Camels are ruminants, like cows, and they regurgitate the food back up from their stomach to chew it again. |
| Wolves have attacked Bactrian camels at waterholes | it is known that Bactrian camels have been attacked at water holes by wolves. |
| A camel's "spit" is stomach contents and saliva, brought up and projected out to bother whatever threatens it. | They aren't actually spitting, though—it's more like throwing up! They bring up the contents of their stomach, along with saliva, and project it out. This is meant to surprise, distract, or bother whatever the camel feels is threatening it. |
| Fat, not water. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance explains that the fat is an energy source for the camel. | But what's in those humps? They store fat, not water. The fat becomes an energy source for the camel. |
| When food is scarce, the camel's body uses the fat stored in the hump, causing the hump to lean over and droop. | When food is scarce, the camel's body uses the fat stored in the hump, causing the hump to lean over and droop. |
| San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a camel can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (145 liters) of water in one drinking session. | A camel can go a week or more without water ... It can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (145 liters) of water in one drinking session! |
| It grows a shaggy coat in winter for protection from the freezing cold and sheds it during the hot summer. | Bactrian camels, native to the Gobi Desert in China and the Bactrian steppes of Mongolia, grow a shaggy coat in the winter for protection from the freezing cold and shed the coat during the hot summer. |
| San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says Bactrian camels can survive temperatures from minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 29 degrees Celsius) to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius). | These camels can survive a wide range of temperatures, from minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 29 degrees Celsius) to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius)! |
| a camel's natural pacing gait, which moves both legs on one side of the body at the same time | They have a natural pacing gait, moving both legs from the same side of the body at the same time. (note: SDZ's fun fact is about camels in general; the reason says 'a camel's'.) |

## Camelus bactrianus. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, 2023.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Camelus_bactrianus

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| The AnAge longevity database gives 35.4 years, in captivity, as the record for domestic camels. | Record longevity in captivity for domestic camels, however, is 35.4 years (note: AnAge Build 15 (2023) is the current source; ADW's older account gives the same 35.4-year domestic record.) |

## Burger, Ciani & Faye (2019). Old World camels in a modern world - a balancing act between conservation and genetic improvement. Animal Genetics.

https://doi.org/10.1111/age.12858

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| found mainly in Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan | Bactrian camels are distributed mainly in Central Asian countries, including Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, northeastern Afghanistan, Russia, Crimea and Uzbekistan |
| Archaeological and pictorial evidence suggests people began domesticating Bactrian camels roughly 5,000 years ago, in the late fourth and early third millennium BCE. | Based on archaeological and pictorial evidence, the period of Bactrian camel domestication has been estimated as beginning in the late fourth and early third millennium before common era (note: Late fourth to early third millennium BCE is about 5,300 to 4,700 years ago, so 'roughly 5,000'. Replaces Ji et al. 2009's older 5,000-6,000 figure.) |
| They live mainly in Central Asian countries, including Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. | Bactrian camels are distributed mainly in Central Asian countries, including Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, northeastern Afghanistan, Russia, Crimea and Uzbekistan |
| Genetic studies confirmed that the wild two-humped camel is a separate species, Camelus ferus, whose ancestors split from those of the domestic Bactrian camel an estimated 1.1 million years ago. | the split between the ancestors of wild and domestic Bactrian camels is more recent and was estimated at 1.1 (0.6–1.8) Mya ... genetic studies (Ji et al . 2009 ; Silbermayr et al . 2010 ; Jirimutu et al . 2012 ; Mohandesan et al . 2017 ; Yi et al . 2017 ) confirmed that the wild two‐humped camel is an original wild form and separate species C. ferus (note: Replaces Ji et al. 2009's older 0.7 Mya estimate.) |
| The camel on this page is the domestic species. | three species are recognised today based on the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature ( 2003 ) (Gentry et al . 2004 ) and genomic evidence: the domesticated C. dromedarius and C. bactrianus , and the only remaining wild species, the two‐humped C. ferus |
| The wild two-humped camel, Camelus ferus, is a separate species | confirmed that the wild two‐humped camel is an original wild form and separate species C. ferus |
| A 2019 review found its range reduced to four places, three in China and one in Mongolia | Nowadays their range has become severely reduced to only four locations worldwide: three in China ... and one in Mongolia (note: 2019 is the review's publication year. The 2025 Red List assessment (read in Chrome) lists wild camels as extant in China (Xinjiang, Gansu) and Mongolia, consistent with this; its 'number of locations: 3' is IUCN's threat-based unit, not a count of refuges, so the dated 2019 statement stays.) |

## Wu et al. (2014). Camelid genomes reveal evolution and adaptation to desert environments. Nature Communications.

https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6188

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Blood sugar that saves water. | Transcriptomic analysis of Bactrian camels further reveals unique osmoregulation, osmoprotection and compensatory mechanisms for water reservation underpinned by high blood glucose levels. We hypothesize that these physiological mechanisms represent kidney evolutionary adaptations to the desert environment. (note: The lead-in restates the finding below: water-keeping mechanisms 'underpinned by high blood glucose levels'.) |
| A 2014 study of gene activity in Bactrian camels found ways of holding on to water that depend on high blood sugar levels. Its authors think these are adaptations of the kidneys to desert life. | Transcriptomic analysis of Bactrian camels further reveals unique osmoregulation, osmoprotection and compensatory mechanisms for water reservation underpinned by high blood glucose levels. We hypothesize that these physiological mechanisms represent kidney evolutionary adaptations to the desert environment. (note: Transcriptomic analysis = gene activity; the kidney link stays a hypothesis ('Its authors think'). The year is the reference's own publication year.) |

## Bolormaa et al. (2025). The role and significance of two-humped camels in Mongolia: adaptability, economic impact, and cultural importance. Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice.

https://doi.org/10.3389/past.2025.14289

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In some parts of Mongolia, camel meat, milk and wool make up 54 percent of herders' cash income. | Camels are essential for the production of meat, milk, and wool, which account for 54% of total cash income in certain regions. |
| Finds from Central Asia dating to the early second millennium BCE suggest camels were then used mainly to carry loads | Archaeological evidence from Central Asia dating to the early 2nd millennium BC suggests that domesticated two-humped camels were used primarily for load carrying |
| Mongolian herders still use them to move their gers (traditional tent homes) when moving camp | Mongolian nomads continue to rely heavily on camels as an integral part of their traditional lifestyle, particularly as transport animals for seasonal migrations. Camels are primarily used as load carriers, tasked with transporting dismantled Gers (traditional tent houses) and their key possessions during relocations. |
| as well as for riding, tourism and sports. | The questionnaire identified four primary uses of camel draft power such as loading, riding, tourism, and sports |

## Mallon et al. (2025). Camelus ferus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T63543A50197851.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2025-2.rlts.t63543a50197851.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| The Red List's 2025 assessment lists the wild camel as Endangered, with 780 to 1,380 mature animals left and their number falling | IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY AND CRITERIA - GLOBAL ASSESSMENT Endangered C1 ... DATE ASSESSED 03 May 2025 ... CURRENT POPULATION TREND Decreasing NUMBER OF MATURE INDIVIDUALS 780-1,380 (note: hand check: GBIF has no Red List category on file for IUCN taxon 63543 and iucnredlist.org refuses scripts, so this was read directly on iucnredlist.org in Chrome on 2026-09-16 (Global Assessment: 'Endangered C1', date assessed 03 May 2025, year published 2025; current population trend 'Decreasing'; number of mature individuals '780-1,380'). This replaces the 2019 review's 'listed as Critically Endangered (Hare 2008)' and its 1,000-1,600 estimate from 2012 surveys.) |
| the Red List's 2025 assessment lists it as Endangered, with 780 to 1,380 mature animals left and their number falling | IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY AND CRITERIA - GLOBAL ASSESSMENT Endangered C1 ... DATE ASSESSED 03 May 2025 ... CURRENT POPULATION TREND Decreasing NUMBER OF MATURE INDIVIDUALS 780-1,380 (note: hand check: GBIF has no Red List category on file for IUCN taxon 63543 and iucnredlist.org refuses scripts, so this was read directly on iucnredlist.org in Chrome on 2026-09-16 (Global Assessment: 'Endangered C1', date assessed 03 May 2025, year published 2025; current population trend 'Decreasing'; number of mature individuals '780-1,380'). This replaces the 2019 review's 'listed as Critically Endangered (Hare 2008)' and its 1,000-1,600 estimate from 2012 surveys.) |
| The domestic Bactrian camel on this page has not been assessed on the Red List, but its wild relative has | IUCN RED LIST CATEGORY AND CRITERIA - GLOBAL ASSESSMENT Endangered C1 ... DATE ASSESSED 03 May 2025 ... CURRENT POPULATION TREND Decreasing NUMBER OF MATURE INDIVIDUALS 780-1,380 (note: The wild camel's assessment is the 2025 one read in Chrome (see the status claim). The domestic Bactrian camel has no assessment of its own: GBIF's copy of the Red List files Camelus bactrianus only as a synonym under the wild camel's taxon 63543, and the page's status is Not Evaluated on the alpaca precedent (PR #151, issue #376).) |