View source for Bactrian camel

{{About|the domesticated and feral Bactrian camel|the critically endangered wild species|Wild Bactrian camel}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{Short description|Species of mammal of Asia}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Bactrian camel
| image = 2011 Trampeltier 1528.JPG
| image_caption = [[Shanghai Zoo]]
| status = DOM
| taxon = Camelus bactrianus
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]
| status_system =
| status_ref = 
| synonyms = {{collapsible list|title=List
|''Camelus bocharius'' {{nobr|{{small|[[Friedrich August Rudolph Kolenati|Kolenati]] (1847)}}}}
|''Camelus caucasicus'' {{nobr| {{small| Kolenati (1847) }} }}
|''Camelus genuinus'' {{nobr| {{small| Kolenati (1847) }} }}
|''Camelus orientalis'' {{nobr| {{small| J. Fischer (1829) }} }}
|''Camelus tauricus'' {{nobr| {{small| J. Fischer (1829) }} }}
}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name=MSW3/>
| range_map = Camelus bactrianus distribution map.png
}}

The '''Bactrian camel''' ('''''Camelus bactrianus'''''), also known as the '''Mongolian camel''', '''domestic Bactrian camel''', '''two-humped camel''' or '''double humped camel''' is a [[camel]] native to the [[steppe]]s of [[Central Asia]]. It has two humps on its back, in contrast to the single-humped [[dromedary]].{{efn|A [[mnemonic]] that helps one to remember the correct English word for each is: "Bactrian" begins with "B", and "Dromedary" begins with "D"; "B" on its side has two humps, whilst "D" on its side has only one hump.}} Its population of 2&nbsp;million exists mainly in the [[Domestication|domesticated]] form.<ref name=EDGE>{{cite web |title=Bactrian camel |year=2010 |website=EdgeofExistence.org |publisher=EDGE |url=http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=8}}</ref> Their name comes from the ancient historical region of [[Bactria]].<ref name=ARKBIODIV>{{cite web |title=Quick Facts about Camels' Domestication History |year=2021 |website=arkbiodiv.com |url=https://arkbiodiv.com/2021/06/23/quick-facts-about-camels-domestication-history/}}</ref>

Domesticated Bactrian camels have served as [[pack animal]]s in [[inner Asia]] since ancient times. With its tolerance for cold, drought, and high altitudes, it enabled the travel of [[Camel train|caravans]] on the [[Silk Road]]. Bactrian camels, whether domesticated or feral, are a separate species from the [[wild Bactrian camel]] (''Camelus ferus''), which is the only truly [[wildlife|wild]] (as opposed to [[feral]]) species of [[camelid]] in the [[Old World]]. Domestic Bactrian camels do not descend from wild Bactrian camels, with the two species having split around 1 million years ago.

== Taxonomy ==
{{cladogram|title=|caption=Phylogenetic relationships of domestic Bactrian camels compared to living and recently extinct camels<ref name="Yuanetal2024">{{Cite journal|last1=Yuan |first1=Junxia |last2=Hu |first2=Jiaming |last3=Liu |first3=Wenhui |last4=Chen |first4=Shungang |last5=Zhang |first5=Fengli |last6=Wang |first6=Siren |last7=Zhang |first7=Zhen |last8=Wang |first8=Linying |last9=Xiao |first9=Bo |last10=Li |first10=Fuqiang |last11=Hofreiter |first11=Michael |last12=Lai |first12=Xulong |last13=Westbury |first13=Michael V. |last14=Sheng |first14=Guilian |date=May 2024 |title=Camelus knoblochi genome reveals the complex evolutionary history of Old World camels |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982224005244 |journal=Current Biology |volume=34 |issue=11 |pages=2502–2508.e5 |language=en |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.050|pmid=38754423|bibcode=2024CBio...34.2502Y |url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }}</ref>
{{clade
|label1=Camelidae
|1={{clade
|1=[[Lamini]] (llamas)
|label2=[[Camelini]]
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Camelops]]''
|label2=''[[Camelus]]''
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Camelus dromedarius]]'' (dromedary)
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Camelus knoblochi]]''
|2=''[[Camelus ferus]]'' (wild Bactrian camel)
|3='''''Camelus bactrianus''''' (domestic Bactrian camel)
}}}}}}}}}}|align=left}}The Bactrian camel shares the [[genus (biology)|genus]] ''[[Camelus]]'' with the [[dromedary]] (''C.&nbsp;dromedarius'') and the [[wild Bactrian camel]] (''C.&nbsp;ferus''). The Bactrian camel belongs to the family [[Camelidae]].<ref name = MSW3>{{MSW3 Artiodactyla | id = 14200112 | pages=645–646 }}</ref><ref name=colin>{{cite book |last1=Groves |first1=C. |author-link1=Colin Groves |last2=Grubb |first2=P. |author-link2=Peter Grubb (zoologist) |year=2011 |title=Ungulate Taxonomy |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn=978-1-4214-0093-8 |page=32}}</ref> The [[ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] philosopher [[Aristotle]] was the first European to [[species description|describe]] the camels: in his 4th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BCE ''[[History of Animals]]'', he identified the one-humped Arabian camel and the two-humped Bactrian camel.<ref>{{cite book |last1=de&nbsp;Buffon |first1=C. |author-link=Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de&nbsp;Buffon |title=Natural History, General and Particular |volume=6 |year=1791 |publisher=Alexander Strahan |page=121 |location=London, UK |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/77169#page/135/mode/1up}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=W. |last2=Anthon |first2=C. |year=1870 |title=A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities |edition=3rd |place=New York, NY |publisher=[[Harper (publisher)|Harper and Brothers Publishers]] |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924028214694 |page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924028214694/page/n215 204]}}</ref> The Bactrian camel was given its current binomial name ''Camelus bactrianus'' by Swedish zoologist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his 1758 publication ''[[10th edition of Systema Naturae|Systema Naturae]]''.<ref name=SN>{{cite book |last=Linnaeus |first=C. |author-link=Carl Linnaeus |title=Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturae |volume=1 |year=1758 |publisher= [[Laurentius salvius]] |location=Stockholm, Sweden |page=65 |edition=[[10th edition of Systema Naturae|10th]] |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726965}}</ref>

Though sharing a closer common ancestor with it than with the dromedary, the domestic Bactrian camel does not descend from the wild Bactrian camel, with the two species having diverged hundreds of thousands of years ago, with their [[mitochondrial genomes]] estimated to have diverged around 1 million years ago. Genetic evidence suggests that both Bactrian camel species are closely related to the extinct giant camel species ''[[Camelus knoblochi]]'' which became extinct around 20,000 years ago, which is equidistant from both living Bactrian camel species.<ref name=Yuanetal2024></ref>

The Bactrian camel and the dromedary often interbreed to produce [[fertility|fertile]] offspring. Where the ranges of the two species overlap, such as in northern Punjab, Iran and Afghanistan, the [[phenotypic]] differences between them tend to decrease as a result of extensive crossbreeding between them. The fertility of their [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] has given rise to speculation that the Bactrian camel and the dromedary should be merged into a single species with two varieties.<ref name="camel">{{cite book |last=Mukasa-Mugerwa |first=E. |year=1981 |title=The camel (''Camelus dromedarius''): A bibliographical review |location=Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |publisher=[[International Livestock Centre for Africa]] |pages=1–147 |url=http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAP013.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202032116/http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAP013.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 February 2016}}</ref> However, a 1994 analysis of the [[mitochondria]]l [[cytochrome b]] gene revealed that the species display 10.3% divergence in their [[DNA sequencing|sequences]].<ref name="stanley">{{cite journal |first1=H.F. |last1=Stanley |last2=Kadwell |first2=M. |last3=Wheeler |first3=J.C. |year=1994 |title=Molecular evolution of the family Camelidae: A mitochondrial DNA study |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society&nbsp;B: Biological Sciences |volume=256 |issue=1345 |pages=1–6 |doi=10.1098/rspb.1994.0041 |pmid=8008753 |bibcode=1994RSPSB.256....1S |s2cid=40857282}}</ref>

== Description ==
[[File:Camel skeleton at MAV-USP.jpg|frameless|right|254x254px|alt=[[Skeleton]]]]
The Bactrian camel is the largest mammal in its native range and is the largest living camel while being shorter at the shoulder than the [[dromedary]]. Shoulder height is from {{convert|160|to|180|cm|ft|abbr=on}} with the overall height ranging from {{convert|230|to|250|cm|ft|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Makhdoomi, Dil M. |author2=Gazi, Mohsin A. |author3=ul Nabi, Showkat |author4=Ahmed, Shakeel |year=2013 |series=Animal Science |title=Morphometric studies on adult double humped camel of Ladakh, India |journal= [[Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture]] |volume=25 |issue=7 |pages=544–548 |doi=10.9755/ejfa.v25i7.15999|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Camel fact sheet |year=2020 |series=[[Nature (TV program)|Nature]] |publisher=[[PBS]] |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/camel-fact-sheet/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dimensions.com/element/bactrian-camel |title=Bactrian camel |website=Dimensions.com}}</ref> head-and-body length is {{convert|225|-|350|cm|ft|abbr=on}}, and the tail length is {{convert|35|-|55|cm|in|abbr=on}}. At the top of the humps, the average height is {{convert|213|cm|ft|abbr=on}}.

[[File:Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus).JPG|frameless|left|220x220px|alt=Detail of feet]]
Body mass can range from {{convert|300|to|1000|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, with males weighing around {{convert|600|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, and females around {{convert|480|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=B.X. |last2=Yuen |first2=Z.X. |last3=Pan |first3=G.W. |date=1985-07-01 |title=Semen-induced ovulation in the bactrian camel (''Camelus bactrianus'') |journal= [[Reproduction (journal)|Reproduction]] |volume=74 |issue=2 |pages=335–339 |doi=10.1530/jrf.0.0740335 |pmid=3900379 |s2cid=2219773 |issn=0022-4251 |url=https://rep.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/rep/74/2/jrf_74_2_004.xml |lang=en-US|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="EDGE" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Bactrian Camel |website=UltimateUngulate.com |url=http://www.ultimateungulate.com/artiodactyla/camelus_bactrianus.html}}</ref> Its long, wooly coat varies in colour from dark brown to sandy beige. A mane and beard of long hair occurs on the neck and throat, with hairs measuring up to {{convert|25|cm|in|abbr=on}} long.

The shaggy winter coat is shed extremely rapidly, with huge sections peeling off at once, appearing as if sloppily shorn. The two humps on the back are composed of fat (not water as is sometimes thought). The face is typical of a camelid, being long and somewhat triangular, with a split upper lip. The long eyelashes, along with the sealable nostrils, help to keep out dust in the frequent sandstorms which occur in their natural range. The two broad toes on each foot have undivided soles and are able to spread widely as an adaptation to walking on sand. The feet are very tough, as befits an animal of extreme environments.

== Natural habitat ==
These camels are migratory, and their habitat ranges from rocky mountain massifs to flat [[wikt:steppe|steppe]], arid desert, (mostly the [[Gobi Desert]]), stony plains and sand dunes. Conditions are extremely harsh – vegetation is sparse, water sources are limited and temperatures are extreme. The coat of the Bactrian camel can withstand cold as low as {{convert|−30|C|0}} in winter to {{convert|50|C|0}} in summer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bactrian Camel |url=https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/animals-attractions/animals/bactrian-camel/ |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=Highland Wildlife Park |language=en}}</ref> The camels' distribution is linked to the availability of water, with large groups congregating near rivers after rain or at the foot of the mountains, where water can be obtained from springs in the summer months, and in the form of snow during the winter.

== Life history ==
[[File:Camelus bactrianus in western Mongolia 01.jpg|thumb|A young calf in western Mongolia]]
Bactrian camels are exceptionally adept at withstanding wide variations in temperature, ranging from freezing cold to blistering heat. They can go without water for months at a time, but when water is available they may drink up to 57&nbsp;liters at once.{{cn|date=February 2024}} When well fed, the humps are plump and erect, but as resources decline, they shrink and lean to the side. When moving faster than a [[Horse gait#Walk|walking]] speed, they [[pacing (horse gait)|pace]], by stepping forwards with both legs on the same side (as opposed to [[trot]]ting, using alternate diagonals as done by most other quadrupeds). Speeds of up to {{Convert|65|kph}} have been recorded, but they rarely move this fast.{{fact|date=May 2025}} Bactrian camels are also said{{bywho|date=May 2025}} to be good swimmers. Their sense of sight is well developed and their sense of smell is extremely good. The lifespan of Bactrian camels is estimated at up to 50&nbsp;years, more often 20 to 40 in captivity.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

=== Diet ===
[[File:Camel skull 2.JPG|left|frameless|Skull]]
Bactrian camels are [[Diurnality|diurnal]], sleeping in the open at night and foraging for food during the day. They are primarily herbivorous. With tough mouths that can withstand sharp objects such as thorns, they are able to eat plants that are dry, prickly, salty or bitter, and can ingest virtually any kind of vegetation. When other nutrient sources are not available, these camels may feed on carcasses, gnawing on bones, skin, or various different kinds of flesh. In more extreme conditions, they may eat any material they find, which has included rope, sandals, and even tents. Their ability to feed on a wide range of foods allows them to live in areas with sparse vegetation. The first time food is swallowed, it is not fully chewed. The partly masticated food (called cud) goes into the stomach and later is brought back up for further chewing.

Bactrian camels belong to a fairly small group of animals that regularly eat snow to provide their water needs. Animals living above the snowline may have to do this, as snow and ice can be the only forms of water during winter, and by doing so, their range is greatly enlarged. The [[latent heat]] of snow and ice is large compared with the [[heat capacity]] of water, forcing animals to eat only small amounts at a time.<ref>{{cite web |first1=C. |last1=Wand |first2=C. |last2=Richardson |date=November 2009 |title=Replacing water with clean snow for ewes and beef cows |id=9–065 AGDEX 424/433 |publisher=Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs |website=OMAFRA.gov.on.ca |url=http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/09-065.pdf |access-date=9 February 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402111550/http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/09-065.pdf |archive-date=2 April 2015 }}</ref>

=== Reproduction ===
[[File:Babybactrian.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Mother and calf]]
Bactrian camels are [[Induced ovulation (animals)|induced ovulators]] – they [[Ovulation|ovulate]] after insemination (insertion of semen into the [[vagina]]); the seminal plasma, not the [[spermatozoa]], induces ovulation. Ovulation occurs in 87% of females after insemination: 66% ovulate within 36&nbsp;hours and the rest by 48&nbsp;hours (the same as natural mating). The least amount of [[semen]] required to elicit ovulation is about 1.0&nbsp;ml.<ref name="Chen">{{cite journal |pmid=3900379|author=Chen, B.X. |author2=Yuen, Z.X. |author3=Pan, G.W. |name-list-style=amp |year=1985 |title=Semen-induced ovulation in the bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) |url=http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/74/2/335.full.pdf |journal=J. Reprod. Fertil. |volume=74 |issue=2 |pages=335–339 |doi=10.1530/jrf.0.0740335 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Males during mating time are often quite violent and may bite, spit, or attempt to sit on other male camels. The age of [[sexual maturity]] varies, but is usually reached at 3–5&nbsp;years. Gestation lasts around 13&nbsp;months. One or occasionally two calves are produced, and the female can give birth to a new calf every other year. Young Bactrian camels are [[precocial]], being able to stand and run shortly after birth, and are fairly large at an average birth weight of {{convert|36|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. They are nursed for about 1.5&nbsp;years. The young calf stays with its mother for three to five years, until it reaches sexual maturity, and often helps raise subsequent generations for those years. Wild camels sometimes breed with domesticated or feral camels.
Bactrian camels have been domesticated for thousands of years and are widely bred by pastoralist and agricultural communities across Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of China and Mongolia. Breeding practices vary by region, but most focus on traits such as hardiness, milk production, load-bearing ability, and temperament. In Mongolia, herders traditionally manage breeding by selectively mating camels during the rutting season, often using older, experienced bulls known for their vigor and fertility. These males are isolated with females to encourage mating and reduce aggression toward other camels. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bolormaa |first1=Tsognemekh |last2=Burenjargal |first2=Sedkhuu |last3=Sandagdorj |first3=Badrakh |last4=Chantsal |first4=Batsaikhan |last5=Ochirkhuu |first5=Nymsuren |last6=Gerelt-Od |first6=Sambalkhundev |last7=Nyam-Osor |first7=Purevdorj |date=2025-03-25 |title=The role and significance of two-humped camels in Mongolia: adaptability, economic impact, and cultural importance |journal=Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice |language=English |volume=15 |pages=14289 |doi=10.3389/past.2025.14289 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2025PRPP...1514289B |issn=2041-7136}}</ref>

In Iran and parts of Afghanistan, camel breeding is commonly integrated into mixed farming systems, where camels provide transport and milk alongside other livestock. Semen collection and artificial insemination techniques are increasingly used in breeding programs in Central Asia, particularly in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, to improve genetic stock and ensure ovulation timing aligns with optimal conditions for conception. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Miao |first1=Jing |last2=Xiao |first2=Shuang |last3=Wang |first3=Jun |date=July 2023 |title=Comparative Study of Camel Milk from Different Areas of Xinjiang Province in China |journal=Food Science of Animal Resources |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=674–684 |doi=10.5851/kosfa.2023.e27 |issn=2636-0780 |pmc=10359842 |pmid=37484000}}</ref>

In China’s Xinjiang region, large-scale camel farms are maintained by both government-supported operations and private breeders, focusing on conserving the genetics of the domesticated Bactrian camel and improving reproductive efficiency. Advances in veterinary care, nutritional supplementation, and controlled breeding environments have increased calving rates in recent decades. <ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Akhmetsadykova |first1=Shynar H |last2=Konuspayeva |first2=Gaukhar |last3=Akhmetsadykov |first3=Nurlan |date=2022-08-01 |title=Camel breeding in Kazakhstan and future perspectives |url=https://academic.oup.com/af/article/12/4/71/6663968 |journal=Animal Frontiers |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=71–77 |doi=10.1093/af/vfac048 |pmid=35974781 |pmc=9374522 |issn=2160-6056}}</ref>

Across these regions, breeding cycles are timed to coincide with favorable seasonal conditions to maximize calf survival. Female camels are usually bred every two years to allow for full recovery after gestation and lactation, although in some cases, higher-frequency breeding is practiced under intensive management systems. Offspring are commonly used in transportation, wool production, or sold in local markets, forming a critical part of the livelihood for many camel-rearing communities.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-07 |title=Camels: The Magnificent Migration |url=https://www.aramcoworld.com/articles/2018/camels-the-magnificent-migration |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.aramcoworld.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Climate adaptations ==
The Bactrian camel has shaggy fur that keeps them warm.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Bactrian Camel |url=https://stlzoo.org/animals/mammals/hoofed-mammals/bactrian-camel#:~:text=They%20have%20long,%20shaggy%20fur%20that%20keeps%20them,enables%20them%20to%20survive%20long%20periods%20without%20food. |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Saint Louis Zoo |language=en}}</ref> They live in areas with extreme temperatures, ranging from intense cold to severe heat. When it gets warm out, their shaggy coat will shed, helping the camel control its body temperature.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-10 |title=Bactrian Camel {{!}} National Geographic |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/bactrian-camel |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Animals |language=en}}</ref> The Bactrian camel has two humps to store the energy they get from fat.<ref name=":1" /> If energy sources become scarce, camels can rely on the energy stored in their humps.<ref name=":1" /> Their humps also allow them to hold up to 35 gallons of water at a time.<ref name=":1" />

== Evolutionary history ==
As of the 1980s, a complete range of [[Fossil|fossils]] suggests the first [[Camelid|camelids]] appeared in [[North America]] about 30 million years ago, had relatively small body masses, and were adapted to warm climates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wu |first=Huiguang |last2=Guang |first2=Xuanmin |last3=Al-Fageeh |first3=Mohamed B. |last4=Cao |first4=Junwei |last5=Pan |first5=Shengkai |last6=Zhou |first6=Huanmin |last7=Zhang |first7=Li |last8=Abutarboush |first8=Mohammed H. |last9=Xing |first9=Yanping |last10=Xie |first10=Zhiyuan |last11=Alshanqeeti |first11=Ali S. |last12=Zhang |first12=Yanru |last13=Yao |first13=Qiulin |last14=Al-Shomrani |first14=Badr M. |last15=Zhang |first15=Dong |date=2014-10-21 |title=Camelid genomes reveal evolution and adaptation to desert environments |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms6188 |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=5188 |doi=10.1038/ncomms6188 |issn=2041-1723}}</ref> By the early [[Pleistocene]] (about 2 million years ago), they had already evolved into a form similar to the current Bactrian camel, and many individuals permanently migrated to the opposite end of the [[Bering Strait]] in an abrupt fashion, probably as a response to the advancing [[ice age]]. The remaining related types of American camelids are now only in South America

== Genome ==
[[File:Bactrian.camel.twice.arp.jpg|thumb|left|[[Cotswold Wildlife Park]]|alt=Two at the [[Cotswold Wildlife Park]] in England]]
The {{visible anchor|Bactrian Camels Genome Sequencing and Analysis Consortium}} provides a ''C. bactrianus ferus'' [[genome]] using [[next generation sequencing]].<ref name="Seq-Consort-2012">
This review...

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    | first45 = Aiying
    | last46 = Li
    | first46 = Yi
    | last47 = Gao
    | first47 = Junhui
    | last48 = Li
    | first48 = Jing
    | last49 = Niu
    | first49 = Shen
    | last50 = Sun
    | first50 = Tao
    | last51 = Zhai
    | first51 = Zhengxiao
    | last52 = Zhang
    | first52 = Min
    | last53 = Chen
    | first53 = Chen
    | last54 = Baldan
    | first54 = T.
    | last55 = Bayaer
    | first55 = Tuman
    | last56 = Li
    | first56 = Yixue
    | last57 = Meng
    | first57 = H.
    | bibcode = 2012NatCo...3.1202T
    | s2cid = 13218949
    | pmc = 3514880
    | pmid = 23149746
    | doi = 10.1038/ncomms2192
    | title = Genome sequences of wild and domestic bactrian camels
    | author58 = [[Bactrian Camels Genome Sequencing and Analysis Consortium]]
 | page = 1202
 }}
</ref>

Several [[effective population size]] studies have been carried out.<ref name = "Burger-2016" /> They show several [[genetic bottleneck|bottlenecks]] in both wild and domesticated Bactrians over the past 350,000 years.<ref name="Burger-2016">
 {{ Cite journal
     | year=2016
     | issue=5
     | volume=48
     | publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media]]
     | pages=905–913
     | last=Burger
     | journal=[[Tropical Animal Health and Production]]
     | issn=0049-4747
     | first=Pamela Anna
     | title=The history of Old World camelids in the light of molecular genetics
     | doi=10.1007/s11250-016-1032-7
 | pmid=27048619
 | pmc=4884201
     }}
</ref>

== Relationship to humans ==
[[File:Camel - panoramio (2).jpg|thumb|upright|Petroglyphs]]
The Bactrian camel was domesticated circa ~2,500 BCE.<ref name="MacHugh-et-al-2017">{{cite journal | last1=MacHugh | first1=David E. | last2=Larson | first2=Greger | last3=Orlando | first3=Ludovic | title=Taming the Past: Ancient DNA and the Study of Animal Domestication | journal=[[Annual Review of Animal Biosciences]] | publisher=[[Annual Reviews (publisher)|Annual Reviews]] | volume=5 | issue=1 | date=2017-02-08 | issn=2165-8102 | doi=10.1146/annurev-animal-022516-022747 | pages=329–351| pmid=27813680 }}</ref> The dromedary is believed to have been domesticated between 4000&nbsp;BCE and 2000&nbsp;BCE in [[Arabia]]. As pack animals, these ungulates are virtually unsurpassed, able to carry {{convert|170|-|250|kg|lb|abbr=on}} at a rate of {{convert|47|km}} per day, or {{convert|4|km/h}} over a period of four days.<ref name=rahimdad>Rahimdad Khan Molai Shedai; Janat ul Sindh 3rd edition 1993; Sindhi Adbi Board Jamshoro, page 20</ref> The species was a mainstay of transportation on the [[Silk Road]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Andrea |first1=A.J. |last2=Levi |first2=S.C. |year=2009 |series=The Silk Road |chapter=Afro-Eurasian connectivity across the ages |title=World System History |volume=I |chapter-url=https://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C04/E6-94-11.pdf}}</ref> The Bactrian camel was an important aspect in human transportation, they were able to withstand harsh conditions, which made them ideal for long distance travel.  Furthermore, Bactrian camels are frequently ridden, especially in desertified areas. In ancient [[Sindh]], for example, Bactrian camels of two humps were initially used by the rich for riding. The camel was later brought to other areas such as Balochistan and Iran for the same purpose.<ref name=rahimdad/>
[[File:Greenway BactrianCamel AgathaChristie January2024 NT CCBYSA open.jpg|thumb|Tang dynasty model, owned by [[Agatha Christie]]]]
Bactrian camels have been the focus of artwork throughout history. For example, westerners from the [[Tarim Basin]] and elsewhere were depicted in numerous ceramic figurines of the Chinese [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907).{{Cn|date=September 2023}}

=== United States imports ===
Bactrian camels were imported to the U.S. several times in the mid- to late 19th century, both by the U.S. military and by merchants and miners, looking for pack animals sturdier and hardier than horses and mules. Although the camels met these needs, the [[United States Camel Corps]] was never considered much of a success. Having brought two shipments of fewer than 100 camels to the U.S., plans were made to import another 1,000, but the [[US Civil War]] interrupted this. Most surviving camels of these endeavors, both military and private, were turned loose to survive in the wild. As a result, small feral herds of Bactrian camels existed during the late 19th&nbsp;century in the southwest deserts of the [[United States]].<ref name="Zentner experiment">{{cite web |title=The desert camel experiment |last=Zentner |first=Joe |publisher=DesertUSA.com and Digital West Media |url=http://www.desertusa.com/animals/desert-camel-experiment.html |access-date=9 February 2017}}</ref> 

[[Topsy the Camel|One United States Camel Corps camel]] was later sold to [[Ringling Brothers]] and was also in several early [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] films.<ref name=lanhm>{{cite web |title=Topsy the Camel |url=https://nhm.org/stories/topsy-camel |publisher=[[Los Angeles Natural History Museum]] |first=Kat |last=Halsey |access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref>

=== Documentaries ===
* ''[[The Story of the Weeping Camel]]'' is a 2003 Mongolian docudrama about a family of nomadic shepherds trying to get a white calf accepted by his mother, which rejected him after a difficult birth.

=== Military use ===
The [[Indian Army]] uses these camels to patrol in [[Ladakh]]. It was concluded that after carrying out trials and doing a comparative study with a single-humped camel brought from [[Rajasthan]] that the double-humped camel is better suited for the task at hand. Colonel Manoj Batra, a veterinary officer of the Indian Army, stated that the double-humped camel "are best suited for these conditions. They can carry loads of {{convert|170|kg}} at more than {{convert|17000|ft}} which is much more than the ponies that are being used as of now. They can survive without water for at least 72&nbsp;hours."<ref>{{cite web |first=Abhishek |last=Bhalla |date=19 September 2020 |title=Indian Army to use double-humped camels for transportation, patrolling in Ladakh |website=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-army-to-use-double-humped-camels-for-transportation-patrolling-in-ladakh-1723246-2020-09-19}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Riding Bactrian camel Nubra.jpg|Riding in [[Nubra Valley]], India
File:Temee.jpg|Mongolia
File:Camels in Kosh-Agachsky District.jpg|alt=Chuya Steppe, Altai Mountains, Russia|[[Chuya Steppe]]
File:Bactrian camel in Kyzyllkum.jpg|Bactrian Camels in the Kyzyl Kum Desert
File:Camel Farm in Mongolia 02.jpg|Farm in Central Mongolia
File:SpeakingCamel altColour US7FerrisburghVT 20151011 (39646557970).jpg|Farm in [[Vermont]], US
File:Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) in Tallinn Zoo (March 2023).jpg|alt=In the snow at Tallinn Zoo, Estonia|[[Tallinn Zoo]]
</gallery>

== Footnotes ==
{{notelist}}

== See also ==
*[[Bactria]]
*[[Camel]]
*[[List of animals with humps]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons and category}}
{{Wikispecies|Camelus bactrianus}}
* {{cite web |title=''Camelus bactrianus'' |publisher=[[University of Michigan]] |website=Animal Diversity project |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Camelus_bactrianus.html}}
* {{cite news |first=Brian |last=Handwerk |date=3 December 2002 |orig-date=November 2002 |title=Wild Bactrian camels critically endangered, group says |website=[[National Geographic]] |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/11/1126_021205_cameltrek.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021206012648/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/11/1126_021205_cameltrek.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 December 2002}}
* {{cite web |title=Wild camel protection foundation |url=http://www.wildcamels.com/}}
* {{cite AV media |first=Aaron |last=Sneddon |title=Bactrian Camels at the Highland Wildlife Park, Scotland |medium=images |website=flickr.com |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/aaron-sneddon/sets/72157620676711291/}}
* {{cite news |title='New' camel lives on salty water |date=6 February 2001 |publisher=[[BBC]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1156212.stm}} – BBC announces discovery of camels in the Gashun Gobi region

{{Artiodactyla|T.}}
{{Camelids}}
{{Working animals}}
{{Animal domestication}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q132922}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Camels]]
[[Category:Mammals of China]]
[[Category:Desert fauna]]
[[Category:Mammals of India]]
[[Category:Mammals of Central Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Mammals of Mongolia]]
[[Category:Livestock]]
[[Category:EDGE species]]
[[Category:Pack animals]]
[[Category:Bactria]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1758]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]