Mammals
Wild Bactrian Camel
Camelus ferus · also called wild two-humped camel
At a salty spring in the Gobi Desert, a wild Bactrian camel drinks water that would sicken most animals, one of perhaps a thousand left of a species older than its domestic cousin.
Overview
The wild Bactrian camel, Camelus ferus, is a Critically Endangered two-humped camel of the Gobi Desert of China and Mongolia. A separate species from the domestic Bactrian camel, it is one of the rarest large mammals on Earth.
A camel that drinks brine
The wild Bactrian camel’s ability to drink water saltier than seawater lets it use springs that other animals avoid in one of the world’s harshest deserts.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population.
Wild Bactrian Camel: common questions
Is the wild Bactrian camel the ancestor of the domestic Bactrian camel?
No, it is a separate species, rather than just the wild form of the domestic camel.
Can the wild Bactrian camel drink salty water?
Yes, it can drink brackish water that is saltier than seawater, which most animals cannot tolerate.
How many wild Bactrian camels are left?
Perhaps a thousand animals remain in the wild, in a few scattered populations.
Where does the wild Bactrian camel live?
It survives in the Gobi Desert of China and Mongolia.