Animals in the Wild [127 



Going Without Water: The accomplishment for which camels are 

 most noted the ability to do without water seems more improb- 

 able than ever if you see them drinking. When a supply is avail- 

 able, a camel will drink six or seven gallons of water a day! A camel 

 bearing a heavy load cannot go without drink for much more 

 than three days; but records show that some animals have survived 

 for several weeks without water. At such times the camel draws 

 upon moisture stored in its stomach walls and actually "drinks 

 from the inside." The one-humped camel is still a valued beast 

 of burden in Africa and the Arab lands. 



The Two-humped Camel: The two-humped Bactrian camel grows 

 a far heavier coat than the dromedary. Its native land is Central 

 Asia, where many people depend on their camels not only for 

 transportation but also for food (they drink the milk and eat 

 the meat) and for clothing (made from the hair) . In the spring a 

 camel looks disreputable as its winter coat peels off in ragged 

 patches. Flabby humps are a sign of poor physical condition, as 

 the hump provides a storehouse of reserve nourishment which 

 the animal draws upon when food is scarce. 



Zoo BEARS SURPRISINGLY TIMID 



Children enjoy watching bears because they are reminded 

 of their beloved teddy bears. At the zoo, aside from the familiar 

 native North American black bear, you may also see several more 

 spectacular or unusual species. 



The Alaskan Brown Bear: A large zoo may be able to exhibit the 

 biggest bears in the world the Alaskan brown bear. Some of them 

 weigh fifteen hundred pounds or more. Despite their great power 

 and tremendous claws, they are timid rather than daring and 

 attack only when cornered or wounded. As in the case of other 

 bears, the cubs are amazingly tiny compared to the adults. A baby 

 bear weighs about a pound and a half at birth. 



The Polar Bear: Some polar bears are as heavy as the Alaskan 

 brown bear, though the average male is not over nine hundred 

 pounds. This bear does not have the timidity of most species. It 

 is a hunter that preys upon fish, seals, walrus, and it will stalk a 



