Camel Facts

There are two types of camels: One humped or “dromedary” camels and two humped Bactrian camels.
Camels have three sets of eyelids and two rows of eyelashes to keep sand out of their eyes.
Camels have thick lips which let them forage for thorny plants other animals can’t eat.
Camels can completely shut their nostrils during sandstorms.
Thanks to thick pads of skin on their chest and knees, camels can comfortably sit in very hot sand. 

Their humps let them store up to 80 pounds of fat which they can live off for weeks and even months!
When a camel finally does find water, he can drink up to 40 gallons in one go.
Camels are very strong and can carry up to 900 pounds for 25 miles a day.
Camels can travel at up to 40 miles per hour – the same as a racehorse!
Don’t make a camel angry – they can spit as a way to distract whatever they think is a threat 

Mother camels carry their calves up to 14 months before giving birth.
Some calves are born completely white and turn brown as their adult coat comes in. 

A group of camels is called a flock or a caravan.
A camel can indeed go long periods of time without water – precisely how long depends upon the temperature, the camel’s activity, and what type of food it is eating.
Thirsty camels can drink 30 gallons (135 liters) of water in less than 15 minutes.
Over a four-day period, a camel can haul 375 to 600 pounds (170 to 270 kilograms) at rates of 29 miles (47 kilometers) a day and 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) an hour.
To keep sand out of their eyes, camels have double rows of long eyelashes, and they can cover their eye with a clear inner eyelid (nictitating membrane). They can also close their nostrils.
Camels don’t actually spit – it’s more like projectile vomiting. When camels feel threatened, they bring up their stomach contents and project it out, hoping to surprise, distract, or bother the offending party.
The life span is up to 50 years; average is 30 – 40 years. 


Wild Bactrian camels are critically endangered due to hunting, habitat loss, illegal mining activities and competition with livestock for grazing areas.

Bactrian Camel

Hummingbirds

• Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world.  
• Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly both forward and backwards.
• A hummingbird can weigh anywhere between 2 and 20 grams.
• A hummingbird's metabolism is roughly 100 times that of an elephant.
• Hummingbirds have tongues that are grooved like the shape of a "W".
• Hummingbirds have no sense of smell, but can hear better than humans.
• Hummingbirds see in ultraviolet light and they can see further than a human.
• Hummingbirds have a great memory – they remember every flower & feeder they've been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill.
• The hummingbird brain is 4.2% of its body weight – this is the largest, in proportion, of the wild bird group.
• Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly like a helicopter… up, down, sideways, front, and back!
• Hummingbirds are the second largest family of birds with a total of 332 species.
• A hummingbird's heart beats up to 1,260 times per minute.
• Hummingbirds do not mate for life.
• A baby hummingbird is roughly the size of a penny and is unable to fly.
• The average life span of a hummingbird is 5 years, but they have been known to live for more than 10 years.
• Hummingbirds fly at an average of 25-30 miles per hour, and are able to dive up to 50 miles per hour.