I know, this picture shouldn't be here in this gallery . . . but the bactrian camel is such a permanent fixture in the history and landscape of the Silk Road and Xinjiang that I just can't help including it.

Bactrian camels are native to the Gobi Desert in China and the steppes of Mongolia. These camels can survive a wide range of temperatures, from minus 29degC in the winter to 49 degrees Celsius in the summer! They can easily carry a load of 200 pounds (90 kilograms) and walk 20 miles (32 kilometres) a day in the harsh desert. Bactrian camels have two humps each, in contrast to the dromedary camel, also known as the Arabian camel, which has only one hump. Camels can go for a week or more without water, and they can last for several months without food, by surviving on the fat stored in the hump(s). They can survive a 40 percent body weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons (46 litres) of water at one drinking session!

Camels have a thin nictitating membrane on their eyes, which acts like a clear inner eyelid to protect the eyes from swriling sandstorms while still letting in enough light for the camels to see. They can also close their nostrils to keep sand out of their noses, and their large, broad feet allow them to walk on desert sand or snow without sinking into it.

This will be my last post to this gallery, except for some fun shots of tour members in action which I have not decided whether to post or not, or any shots that I may have inadvertently left out.