From: www.nationalgeographic.com

Introduction

Bactrian camels (𝐶𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑠 ) have two humps, while dromedary camels (𝐶𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠) have one hump. Bactrian camels are shorter and heavier than dromedary camels and are native to Central Asia. Dromedary camels are more common and are found in Africa, the Middle East, and other regions. Camels are often called the “ships of the desert.” Domesticated more than 3,000 years ago, the animals can tote 200 pounds dozens of miles per day, traveling as fast as horses. Their bodies are built for harsh desert conditions, from their cloven hooves and extra-long eyelashes to their cactus-chewing mouths.

The Details

Hardened structures, called papillae, line the mouths of camels. This helps them eat foods that other animals find unpalatable.  The animals’ tough, flexible lips move over the food, and each half of their split upper lips wiggle independently to get close to the vegetation.

As you might be able to imagine, the six-inch needles on the cactus make the plant difficult to chew. So, the inside of a camel’s mouth is lined with raised, cone-shaped structures called papillae.

Camels have a hard palate at the tops of their mouths, says Alex Warnock, the Arizonian who owns the camels in the video. Their teeth grind food against this palate. It kind of works as a mortar and pestle.

The camel’s rotating chew distributes pressure from the cactus and the papillae slide the needles vertically down the throat. This way, the sharp ends don’t poke the camel as it ingests them.

Papillae in camels partially consist of keratin, the same hard material that your fingernails are made of.

Additional Reading: Enhancing milk production of lactating camels with cactus