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The camel stores fat in its
Stomach
Legs
Feet
Hump
None of the above
Hump
Camels store fat in their hump, which serves as an energy reservoir during periods of food scarcity. This storage of adipose tissue allows the camel to survive for weeks in harsh desert conditions without consuming external nutrients.
Camels store fat in their hump, which serves as an energy reservoir during periods of food scarcity. This storage of adipose tissue allows the camel to survive for weeks in harsh desert conditions without consuming external nutrients.
The hump acts like a built-in battery pack for the camel, storing 'fuel' that the body can draw upon whenever it cannot find a meal, just as a portable power bank charges a phone when no wall outlet is nearby.
HUMP: Healthy Utility of Metabolic Power.
C57тАЛH110тАЛO6тАЛ+O2тАЛтЖТCO2тАЛ+H2тАЛO+Energy тАФ Represents the metabolic breakdown of triglyceride fat to release energy and water.
The fat stored in the hump is metabolized through aerobic respiration to provide energy when food is unavailable. When fat (C57тАЛH110тАЛO6тАЛ) is broken down, it produces energy, heat, and metabolic water as a byproduct: 2C57тАЛH110тАЛO6тАЛ+163O2тАЛтЖТ114CO2тАЛ+110H2тАЛO+Energy. This mechanism is essential for survival in arid environments.
The hump is made of adipose tissue (fat), not water.
Concentrating fat in the hump helps keep the rest of the camel's body cool, as fat acts as an insulator.
Metabolic water production helps the camel maintain hydration during long desert treks.
When a camel has not eaten for a long time, the hump may droop or shrink as the fat is utilized.
Provides a long-term energy source.
Reduces heat trapping by concentrating fat in one location instead of distributed under the skin.
The weight of the hump can be significant depending on the animal's nutritional state.
Survival in desert biomes
Long-distance endurance for travel in arid regions
Camels are known as 'ships of the desert' due to these unique physiological adaptations.
Option A is wrong because the stomach is involved in digestion and fermentation of cellulose.
Option B and C are wrong because legs and feet are structural adaptations for stability in sand, not storage organs.
D is correct тАФ The camel stores fat in its hump to provide energy and metabolic water during times of food scarcity.
In competitive exams, remember that camels don't store water in their humps; they produce water metabolically through the oxidation of fats stored in the hump.