What Do Camels Eat in the Desert?

 

Arabian camels aren't known for their kissable lips. Their large, leathery mouths can handle the prickly thorns of almost any kind of desert vegetation, including that which other animals steer clear of.

Of course, even so, deserts can be, well, like deserts. Yet just as a camel can survive for weeks without water, it can go weeks without food.

The animals make sure they get the most from their infrequent meals by digesting their food several times in their stomach's three chambers. They also help quench their thirst by absorbing moisture from the plants they eat.

Contrary to popular belief, the camel’s humps are not full of water. Instead, these odd protrusions are mounds of fat—allowing the gangly beast to travel days through the desert without stopping for a bite to eat. A camel can carry up to 80 pounds of fat on its back (Baby camels don’t get their humps until they start eating solid food). When a camel consumes the emergency food supply, the hump will shrink and fall to one side. Refueling and a good night’s sleep will return the hump to its upright position. Meantime, a camel can drink up to 20 gallons of water at a time, if there is any water around.