Saudi Arabia

Watering the Camels

Every day in the desert in Saudi Arabia, hundreds of camels run towards water troughs as part of a drinking ritual that takes three hours to complete. The animals, who can drink up to 30 gallons in under 15 minutes, are held in a line by keepers before being released one group at a time.

When the beasts surge forward towards the troughs, they kick up a cloud of dust in their wake. Although camels can walk over 150 kilometers without a drink, they will take on water every day if it is available. To conserve fluid when the weather is hot, they often rest beside each other in tight groups. Because their body temperature is cooler than the surrounding air, this minimises sweating.

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Contrary to popular belief, camels do not store water in their humps.These actually contain up to 80 pounds of fat, which can be used when food is scarce.

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