The Zoo s two Bactrian camels shed in the spring. Great shaggy mats of fur slowly slough off, hanging from the animals like globs of golden brown cotton candy. So too is shedding that heavy coat in the desert summer, temperatures soar above 100oF and replacing it with a lighter one. The urge to peel away those messy sheets of wool is almost irresistible, like the need to peel away chipped paint or sunburnt skin. And, were we camel herders, we would.
People weave the wool into cloth for tents, clothes, and blankets.
But wool is a minor blessing, a bonus from animals that for centuries have offered people many gifts, from food to fuel and transportation. For instance, camels provide milk. Lots of milk. After giving birth, females can produce more than a gallon of milk a day for nine to 18 months, and camel milk is a major component of the diets of camel herders. Among some Saharan nomads, camel milk, sometimes mixed with camel blood, is virtually the only source of nourishment.