Wildlifeof China
Wild Bactrian Camel
Bats
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · CC BY-SA 3.0
Camelus ferus
Basic stats
Diet
Desert shrubs, grasses and other sparse vegetation
Habitat
Cold desert and semiarid Gobi landscapes
Range
Isolated regions of the Gobi Desert in China and Mongolia
Litter size
1
Gestation period
Approximately 13 months
Size
Approximately 3.2–3.5m head-and-body length
Weight
Approximately 450–690kg
The wild Bactrian camel is a large two-humped camel with a comparatively slender body, small humps and a shaggy winter coat. It is genetically distinct from the domestic Bactrian camel. Surviving animals occupy isolated Gobi Desert regions in China and Mongolia, enduring temperatures from severe winter cold to intense summer heat. (Mammalian Species)
It browses desert shrubs and grazes sparse vegetation while travelling long distances between feeding and watering areas. Wild camels can use highly saline water unavailable to many mammals. Their humps store fat rather than water. Females normally bear one calf following a gestation of approximately 13 months. (Mammalian Species; Wild Camel Protection Foundation fact file)
Quick answers
- What does the Wild Bactrian Camel eat?
- Desert shrubs, grasses and other sparse vegetation
- What habitat does the Wild Bactrian Camel live in?
- Cold desert and semiarid Gobi landscapes
- Where is the Wild Bactrian Camel found?
- Isolated regions of the Gobi Desert in China and Mongolia
- What is the litter size of the Wild Bactrian Camel?
- 1
- How long is the gestation period of the Wild Bactrian Camel?
- Approximately 13 months
- How big is the Wild Bactrian Camel?
- Approximately 3.2–3.5m head-and-body length
- How much does the Wild Bactrian Camel weigh?
- Approximately 450–690kg