Standing up can be a big challenge when you've got extra-long legs and haven't had much practice.  But Nara, a female Bactrian Camel born on April 24 at Zoo Zurich, finally got the hang of it.




Photo Credit:  Zoo Zürich, Peter Bolliger

Bactrian Camels have been domesticated for use as pack animals in central Asia for centuries.  Their exceptional tolerance of extreme heat and freezing temperatures and their ability to go for several months without water makes them ideal for travelling across the remote steppes of central Asia.  More than two million domesticated Bactrian camels exist, but they are critically endangered, possibly extinct, in the wild.