Eurasian Reserve...
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| Bactrian Camel |
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| Arabian Camel |
Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus) & Arabian Camel (Camelus dromedarius)...
We keep both species of camel at the park, the one humped North African Arabian or Dromedary and the two humped Bactrian from Asia. Despite their contrasting backgrounds, both have much in common. Their body load rests on the sole pad, not the hoof, as only the front end of the hoof touches the ground.
These animals are quite unique amongst mammals in having elliptical blood corpuscles. They have a single upper incisor which, in the males, is hooked, and together with the tusk like canines found in both jaws, can inflict a nasty bite – to back up a formidable kick!
Camels have served man for centuries in the arid regions to which they are well adapted; ie with broad feet, long eye lashes and thick lips that enable them to eat the toughest vegetation.
Their ability to act as beasts of burden and provide meat, wool, hair, milk and fuel have proved indispensable. Contrary to popular belief their humps don’t contain water, but fat. It is this store of potential energy that gives them the ability to survive long periods.
Yak (Bos grunniens)
There are still herds of wild Yak to be found roaming the remoter parts of the Tibetan Highlands, the only place on earth where desert and arctic conditions co-exist, though yaks probably number less than 500.
These huge animals, related to the bison, have evolved to survive some of the harshest climatic conditions in the world. Existing at heights of up to 20,000 feet, the long thick coat of the yak hangs almost to the ground ‘in a cloak like’ fashion, often completely hiding the legs and tail to maximise protection from the elements. They even sleep on the snow at this altitude, in temperatures of -40F.
The yak or ‘grunting ox’ has prodigious stamina, utilizing enormous lungs to climb and walk vast distances in search of the sparse vegetation. They have been domesticated for many centuries by the Tibetans, who utilize the yak for meat and its nutritious and plentiful milk. Our herd of yak sometimes produces twins, unheard of in the wild.
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