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Numerous adaptations have allowed the camel to survive
the incredibly harsh environment of the desert. Heat storage within the
body of the camel, selective brain cooling, fur, concentrated urine from
unique kidneys, respiration mechanisms, and |
hormones all serve as important characteristics for the camel in terms
of thermoreguation.
| During the hot desert day, camels are able
to significantly increase
their body temperature and store heat during the hot desert
day (4). The purpose of
storing heat is to conserve water that would otherwise be
lost to evaporation. the conservation of water in the
desert is essential for the camel in times when water is scarce.
At night when the temperature drops noticeably, the stored
heat in the camel dissipates so that the body temperature
of the camel returns to a normal level (4). |
Picture of two dromedary camels in Egypt next to
the Red Sea.
Photo taken by the author, N. Blackwell
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The advantage of the storing heat on a hot desert day is that the camel
does not waste any water on regulating its temperature. |
Picture of author, N. Blackwell, with two dromedary
camels
in Egypt.
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The brain is one of the
most heat sensitive parts of the body. Consequently the camel uses
selective
brain cooling so that it can keep the brain at a lower temperature
during times of heat stress than the rest of the body (5).
If the brain were subjected to the extraordinarily high temperatures
that the rest of the body faces then those temperatures would be
fatal for the camel (5).
The layer
of fur on the camel serves as layer of insulation against the
heat. As an effective barrier against the heat, the fur prevents
excessive heat gain and consequently helps to conserve water (6).
Camels that lack this important layer of fur due to human desire
for wool for instance, can have much higher body temperatures and
are more susceptible to dehydration (6).
The role
of the kidney in the camel becomes essential to the camel in terms
of urine concentration. |
The kidney can produce a very concentrated urine when there is a need for water
(7) . The ability to concentrate urine can
be determined by the loop of Henle and the structure of the renal medulla.
The longer the loop of Henle usually indicates the ability to produce
a more concentrated urine (7).
Water loss can increase quickly in a camel with
high temperatures and respiratory frequencies (8).
For this reason, the camel has special respiratory
mechanisms. Water loss can be reduced by cooling off the exhaled
air in the nasal passages which allows for the recovery of water (13).
Hormones
play an important role in the conservation of water during times of high
heat and dehydration (9). The concentration
of urine that occurs in the kidneys is also partially the result of hormones. |
