	AllExperts > Wild Animals
	Search

About Jonathan Wright
Expertise
I can answer questions about wild mammals, as well as other wild animals. I can also answer questions on extinct animals and zoos. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PETS. IF YOU ARE REALLY WORRIED, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A VETERINARIAN. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT UNPAID PEOPLE ON ALLEXPERTS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY AND WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ADVICE THE MOMENT YOUR ANIMAL GETS ILL. Find out how to look after a pet before you get it. It is unfair to keep an animal in inappropriate conditions and give it the wrong food. If you can't keep an animal in good conditions, please don't bring it into your home. I'm not a vet and I don't have any expertise in animal medicine and care. I don't agree with people taking animals out of the wild and then expecting other people to give free advice on how to look after them. It is cruel to take animals away from their parents, who are able to look after the babies and may look for them, while putting their other babies at risk. You may need a licence to look after some animals. You may be breaking the law by keeping wild animals; please check with a local wildlife organisation. IF YOU FIND AN INJURED ANIMAL, PLEASE CONTACT A WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN OR CHARITY AND LET TRAINED STAFF LOOK AFTER THE ANIMAL. DO NOT TRY TO LOOK AFTER AN INJURED ANIMAL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Please do not remove eggs from nests. The mother birds will know the right temperature for the eggs and will not sit on them if the temperature is warm enough for them to develop naturally. It is illegal to remove eggs of some species and, unless you have an incubator or a broody hen, the egg may not develop. If you are allowed to touch the eggs, you can candle them (check details on websites) to see if the eggs are fertile. If the eggs are not fertile, they will not hatch. I do not agree with fights between different animals. Please do not ask me questions about them.

Experience
I have a zoology degree and have been interested in animals since I was two years old. I am a zoo volunteer at London Zoo. I have appeared on a BBC Radio Quiz, 'Wildbrain'.

Organizations
World Wide Fund for Nature. Zoological Society of London. London Bat Group.

Publications
Newsletters of London Zoo volunteers and the London Bat Group

Education/Credentials
BSC degree in Zoology. 'A' levels in Zoology and Chemistry. 'O' Level in Biology.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Veterinary Medicine > Wild Animals > camels

Wild Animals - camels

Expert: Jonathan Wright - 10/30/2009

Question
dear sir
we are a group of biology teachers from syria would please answer this question : how long can acamel stay alive without water

Answer
Dear Rashad

Thank you for your question. I also wish to thank the authors of the websites I used.

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2807, http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061219033211AADzigR and http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/how-long-can-a-camel-go-without-water say that camels can survive without water for up to two weeks, but need water every 6-8 days if they are living in hot desert. They obtain much of their water needs from plants. Their heavy fur and fatty hump prevent the body temperature from rising to the sweating point (the major cause of water loss). http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/camel-go-without-water1.htm gives other examples of how the camel's body is able to adapt to water shortages.

When water is available, camels can drink one third of their body weight in 10 minutes. http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/how-long-can-a-camel-go-without-water and http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/camel-go-without-water1.htm say that camels on the Sahara Desert can go all winter without water and will refuse to drink water that is given to them. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_can_a_camel_survive_without_water says camels can live for up to two months without water.

This question has produced a variety of answers, which seem contradictory. Basically, it seems that a camel can survive for about eight days without water if it is living in a hot desert and doesn't have acccess to a diet of succulent plants containing moisture. If these plants are available, it can survive for about two weeks without water. If it is in a colder environment and has access to suitable plant food, it can survive without water for two or months in winter.

All the best

Jonathan

Add to this Answer Ask a Question