Ships of the Desert: The enduring importance of camels to humanity, by Gift Luckson A camel is an even-toed ungulate in the genus Camelus that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels are remarkable animals best known for their ability to survive in some of the harshest environments on Earth, especially deserts. Camels can withstand changes in body temperature and water consumption that would kill most other mammals. Often called the “ships of the desert,” camels have been essential to human life for thousands of years, providing transportation, food, and companionship...