Apr 30, 2005 1:33 pm US/Central
CBS 2 At Brookfield Zoo: Jewel The Camel
CHICAGO (CBS 2) ―
How much do you know about camels? Well, contrary to popular belief, camels do not store water in their humps. It's actually a mound of fatty tissue which gives them energy. Susan Carlson gives us a close-up look at these amazing creatures in this week's trip to Brookfield Zoo.
Jewel is one of the beautiful camels at the Brookfield Zoo. She is as cute as can be, but her fur is all scraggly. Why is that? Well, camels live in the desert and have to live with extreme temperature changes. In the winter, they need thick hair because temperatures can go down to -22 degrees and in the summer, temperatures can soar to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Right now she is starting to shed her hair to get prepared for a long, hot summer in Chicago.
You may think camels store water in their humps, but that is a misconception. A lot of people think they store water in their hump, but they actually store fat in their hump so they can go a long time without food.
Jewel is 22 years old and sometimes when you start to age, you have arthritis problems, so Jewel is starting to get acupuncture treatments at the zoo. She gets treatments about two times a week and afterward she moves around a lot better.
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