Mongolian bactrian

 

The wild two-humped Bactrian camel, camelus bactrianus ferus, is indigenous to Mongolia. It was domesticated at least three thousand years ago.

The camel is one of the tavunhorshoo,'five snouts,' the five domesticated animals of Mongolia on which the country's herding economy depends: horse, cow/yak, sheep, goat, and camel. Camels are raised all over Mongolia, but are found particularly in the four Gobi aimags (provinces) in the south.

As a means of transport, the camel has for centuries been vital for trade across the arid wastes of the country. The camel can carry at least 200 kilos of goods and walks at five kilometers per hour in its peculiar rolling gait. In other words, it is as fast as a packhorse, and has three times the carrying capacity. Unloaded, a camel can outrun a horse. In winter it continues to work through minus-twenty-degree temperatures. Because of the camel, the semi-deserts of the Gobi have not formed a barrier between Mongolia and the south. Even now, camels carry up to thirty percent of the cargo traffic in the Gobi.

There are two types of camels: Dromedary (one-hump) and Bactrian (two-hump). Mongolia has Bactrians.
I have seen camels in pictures before, but didn't fall in love with them until I saw them in person. While living in the Govi desert of Mongolia (2000-2002), I became obsessed with them.

Camel yogurt is the best! It has more fat than goat or cow milk, so the yogurt is super creamy. I never knew anyone to just drink the camel milk straight. I don't know why.
I would also often cook with camel meat because it was cheaper. Some Mongolians warned against eating too much because it was "hot" meat.

My host grandmother made yarn from camel hair on a hand spool. It was softer than wool. I brought back several balls of yarn, unfortunately not the ones my grandmother made, because I planned to make a baby blanket.

I called this the Camel Crew-Cut. The hair from the bottom was shaved early to use, but the top left to protect the animal from the rainy season.

Even their bones are amazing looking. I love everything about them.

(camel next to a Mongolian home, ger)
Often, while driving the 14-30 hours from my city to the capital, everyone in the car would play a guessing game. We'd see who could identify a herd of animals first. I was amazed at the keen eye of most Mongolians. I'd mistake a camel for a sheep.

Baby camels ("botog" in Mongolian) are adorable. 
I remember one time making the long drive, everyone started getting extremely excited by a herd of camels. The driver even stopped the car so we could get out and look. Knowing the language, but not the culture, I was utterly confused. Then it was explained to me that this was the first baby camel of the season they'd seen - a time for celebration.
Along with baby camels, white camels are rare and fascinating. More about the special revere for a white camel and camel babies in general can be seen in the movie The Story of the Weeping Camel, which was shot near my town in the Gobi Desert.

I was shocked when a baby camel poked his head into a ger. The family was feeding him and a lamb because the mothers had rejected them.

Anytime friends or family would visit, I'd take them on a trip to the sand dunes for some camel riding.

This is my host brother, Sugee, Hadaa, me, and an American friend, Kerry.

Camel feet are perfect for sand. Kerry, an adult male, is comparing his foot to his camel's.

My father posing on a camel. This male really didn't want to have anything to do with us. The owner caught him and forced him to let my dad, and later brother, get on for a picture, even though we declined when we saw his temperament. The camel poses perfectly, but my family couldn't wait to get away from him. In general, I really don't think camels like people. They growl, hiss, and spit (I never saw this). I love the sounds they make.

In this close up, it looks like the camel is getting ready to spit. You can also see the Y shaped stick pushed through his nose. This is the way to "steer" the camel when riding.