Camels

[The Ragin' South Asian]

Some times, I randomly think of things I'd like to know more about. For example, I just realized that I know embarrassingly little about camels. I'm reading the wikipedia article in parallel to posting this, but does anyone have any interesting camel trivia/lore? This is the kind of thing that in my mind, everyone would want to discuss, so go for it.

[Courk]

There are two types: one-humped and two-humped.
The humps do not contain water but store fat.

I believe they have long eyelashes to keep sand out of their eyes.

[Dented Ford]

The one-humped sort I believe are dromedaries, and the two humped sort are bactrian camels. (I always thought it was spelt bachtrian but when I just checked, I found it appears to have been normalised to bactrian nowadays.)

Camels can go for long periods without water, since they metabolise the fat stored in their humps and in the process create water internally. When they do find a source of water, they can drink an astonishing amount in a short time (something like twenty or thirty gallons in a few minutes, and they have special blood cells that will expand to absorb the excess water without bursting and the water will be released slowly.).

[Dragon Phoenix]

One of the best fighter planes from WW I.

One of the better progressive rock groups in history.

A cancer inducer.
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[extro...*]

Don't let a camel stick his nose in your tent.

[Chuck]

All I remember about camels is from the poem.

The camel has but one hump,
The dromedary two.
Or is it the other way around?
I'm not quite sure, are you?

[ralphmerridew]

The way to remember the difference between the two is two look at the initial letters.

"B" has two humps; "D" has one.

[Courk]

Camels don't smell pretty.

[Poisonium]

I was going to make a NSFW post in here, but chose not to.
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[Nsof]

• Renting a camel for one day (either to carry me, or to carry packs) cost me as much as hiring the guide (both in India and Sinai).
  
• Spent two days on the back of one. (i was sorry i didnt take the easy one day jeep ride).
  
• It seemed as if they could lead us without the guide.
  
• They look stupid (sorry all camel lovers out there).
  
• They are very strong.
  
• There are race camels and camel races.
  
• An observation: they either eat or chew cud but in any case their mouth never stops moving (left, right, left, right.....).
  
• Met someone who wanted to be a camel (and was stupid enough to try and convince him otherwise).
  
• The scariest part in riding them is when they get up. cant describe the whole motion/process but a) it seems as if their legs have five joints each which can move in different direction, and b) at some time during getting up, their hind legs are standing straight while their fore legs are bent. When you are sitting on one that is getting up you better hold on tight or you might find yourself head first in the ground.

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[Hitchhiker]

Camels walk by moving both right legs, then both left legs. The only other quadrupeds that commonly do this are giraffes and cats.

(Watch a dog or horse -- they move the right front leg with left hind leg, then vice versa.)

[Scurra]

One of the few notable quotes about camels is
"A camel is a horse designed by a committee" (which is actually a quote about committees, rather than camels, of course.)
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New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Jack_Ian]

Camels stink!

[casinopete]

[Poisonium]

Is that a llama or a camel?
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[Duke Gnome]

They are great mathmaticians.

[Scurra]

Only in Djelibeybi, surely?
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_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}