Camels are animals that have adapted to thrive in some of the most arid and challenging environments on Earth. Their unique biology allows them to navigate vast deserts, enduring extreme temperatures and scarce water resources. Their survival in harsh conditions is closely linked to their unique relationship with water.
The Astonishing Capacity
When a camel encounters a water source, its drinking capacity is impressive, rapidly consuming a significant volume. Some reports indicate they can drink as much as 200 liters, or approximately 53 gallons, of water within just three minutes. This rapid intake is crucial for rehydration in environments where water is infrequently available.
This large volume of water is quickly absorbed and distributed throughout the camel’s body. The water is primarily stored within their bloodstream, rather than in specialized water sacs. Their circulatory system is designed to handle this sudden influx without adverse effects, allowing them to replenish fluids efficiently after prolonged periods without drinking.
Physiological Adaptations for Water Retention
Camels possess several physiological adaptations that enable them to consume and retain large amounts of water. Their red blood cells, unlike the circular cells found in most mammals, are oval-shaped. This distinctive shape allows the cells to swell without bursting when large volumes of water are absorbed, and they can also flow more easily through blood vessels when the camel is dehydrated.
Camels can also tolerate wide fluctuations in their body temperature, ranging from around 34°C in the morning to over 40°C by evening. This allows them to absorb heat throughout the day without immediately needing to cool down by sweating, thereby conserving water. They dissipate this stored heat during the cooler desert nights.
Their kidneys are efficient at conserving water, producing urine far more concentrated than that of most other mammals. The internal structure of their kidneys, including a greater proportion of the medulla and smaller renal corpuscles, facilitates this water reabsorption.
The humps, often mistakenly thought to store water, contain fatty tissue that serves as an energy reserve. While metabolizing this fat does produce some water, the primary benefit is energy, and the fat’s concentrated location helps regulate body temperature by reducing insulation across the body.
Surviving Without Water
Camels can endure prolonged periods without water, allowing them to survive in arid conditions. In hot summer months, they can typically go about five to ten days without drinking, but in cooler seasons or when consuming moisture-rich plants, they can survive for several weeks, and sometimes even up to six or seven months.
Their capacity to lose a percentage of their body weight, up to 25-30%, as water without suffering ill effects is a factor in their resilience. Most other mammals would perish with a much smaller loss of body water.
Several mechanisms contribute to their water conservation. Camels rarely sweat, even in high temperatures, and any sweat produced evaporates close to the skin, preventing water loss. Their digestive system is also efficient, extracting moisture from food and producing dry feces. Furthermore, their nostrils can capture and reabsorb water vapor from exhaled breath, recycling moisture back into the body. These combined adaptations make camels well-suited for life in water-scarce environments.