Although camels originated in North America about 40,000,000 years ago, they eventually spread to South America and Asia. The two surviving species of camels are the dromedary and the Bactrian (both found at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®). The dromedary has only one hump and is native to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. The Bactrian, with two humps, is native to the plains and deserts of Asia.

Fully grown camels measure 6 to 7 feet at the shoulder, weigh between 550 and 1,500 pounds and have a rope-like tail about 20 inches long. Camels have been nicknamed "the ship of the desert" because at one time they were the only means of transporting people and goods across the long, hot desert. Their padded feet spread and allow them to walk upon the sand or snow. Callus-like bare spots on their knees, thighs and chest cushion the camel as it kneels down.

A camel can raise its body temperature as much as 11 degrees to keep cool. Long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, ears covered with hair and closeable nostrils keep blowing sand from entering the body. While many people believe that a camel's hump is used for water storage, it is actually made up of fat—as much as 80 pounds of it—which provides a concentrated supply of energy when food and water are scarce.