WAW4 - The Gift of God

"The Gift of God" or "Atah Al Allah" is what the Bedouin have traditionally called the camel (although they may use other names when a camel has decided it doesn't want to play ball!). I love them too for very different reasons - not my source of income or form of transportation, but they are actually quitelarge and do a highly amusing range of facial expressions. It turns out that they are pretty wierd and unique animals too, so here are some random facts and various photos of the camels of Jordan ...


Camels have the reputation of being bad-tempered and obstinate creatures who spit and kick. In reality, they tend to be good-tempered, patient and intelligent - as I found out after meeting 'the camel whisperer' in Shark Bay, Australia (worth the detour, I promise!). The moaning and bawling sound they make when they're loaded up and have to rise to their feet is like the grunting and heavy breathing of a weight-lifter in action, not a sign of displeasure at having to do some work. And the Bedouin do seem to take care of their animals and treat them quite well - this camel has some rope tied round his feet so that he doesn't wander off too far, but he was still roaming quite happily (relatively speaking!) and looked pretty healthy

Camels are amazingly well adapted to living in the desert - for example:

- During a sandstorm the camel's nostrils can close down to keep out the sand.

- A camel's ears are lined with fur to filter out sand and dust blowing into the ear canal.

- Camels have a translucent second lid that allows light to go through, but protects the eye in mild sand storms, while thick bushy eyebrows shield the eyes from the desert sun.

- Camels store fat in their humps. They can go for 5 - 7 days without eating or drinking. When they haven't eaten for a while, the hump shrinks in size and flops over to one side.

- The feet of camels are large, flat, and round. When the camel places its foot on the ground the pads spread, preventing the foot from sinking into the sand. When walking, the camel moves both feet on one side of its body, then both feet on the other. This gait suggests the rolling motion of a boat, explaining the camel's 'ship of the desert' nickname. Doesn't make them any better at crossing the road though ...

And how about this for wierd and wonderful - the camel has a unique body thermostat. It can raise its body temperature tolerance level as much as 6 degrees centrigrade before perspiring, thereby conserving body fluids and avoiding unnecessary water loss. No other mammal can do this.

To finish, I can't help but put in these cute mother and baby photos - this is a 15 day old camel calf that we came across in southern Jordan, who was still a bit unsteady on his legs and obviously found the whole business of standing a bit of a chore ... and look at the very protective camel-dog in the background - not sure how much herding or protecting he can do, but I guess he is perfectly capable of making a lot of noise ...