Page 45 - For Men of Understanding

loss. Furthermore, blood composition is such that it
does not let any deceleration in the blood circulation
even when the water level in the camel’s body is
reduced to the minimum. In addition, albumin enzyme,
which reinforces resistance to thirst, is found in much
higher amounts in the camel’s blood than in that of
other living things.
The hump is the other support of the camel. One
fifth of the camel's total body weight is stored as fat in
its hump. The storage of the body fat in only one part
of the camel's body prevents the excretion of water
from all over its body - which is related to fat. This
allows the camel to use the minimum of water.
Although a humped camel can take in 30-50 kilo-
grams of food in a day, in tough conditions it is able to
live up to one month with only 2 kg of grass a day.
Camels have very strong and rubber-like lips that allow
them to eat thorns sharp enough to pierce thick leather.
Moreover, it has a four chambered stomach and a very
strong digestive system with which it can digest every-
thing it eats. It can even feed on materials like
caoutchouc that cannot be looked upon as food. It is
obvious enough how valuable this quality is in such dry
climates.

PRECAUTION AGAINST TORNADOES
AND STORMS

The eyes of camels have two eyelash layers. The
eyelashes interlock like a trap and protect the eyes of
the animal from harsh sandstorms. In addition, camels
can close their nostrils so that no sand enters.

PROTECTION AGAINST BURNING AND
FREEZING WEATHER CONDITIONS
The thick and impenetrable hairs on the camel's
body prevent the scorching sun of the desert from
reaching the skin of the animal. These also keep the
animal warm in freezing weather. Desert camels are not
o
affected by high temperatures up to 50 C, and double-
humped Bactrian camels can survive in very low tem-
o
peratures down to -50 C. Camels of this kind can sur-
vive even in high valleys, 4,000 metres above sea level.