Camel uses its hump for

Answer: (b) storing fat

The hump stores fat, which can be broken down for energy (and gives some water as it is used).

The idea

The hump is a store of fat, the camel’s food reserve for days without grazing. Keeping the fat in one place on the back, and not under the skin all over, also lets the rest of the body lose heat easily.

Hump: fat reserve → Long eyelashes and closable nostrils: keep sand out → Broad padded feet: do not sink in sand → Body temperature can rise by day without sweating: saves water → Very dry dung and little urine: saves water

Why the others are wrong

(a) The hump does not hold water — the common myth.

(d) Storing fat in one place helps the rest of the body lose heat, but the hump’s job is fat storage.

The trap

The “water in the hump” myth.

Also know

A thirsty camel can drink about 100 litres in a few minutes. The one-humped camel (dromedary) is the State animal of Rajasthan; the two-humped camel (Bactrian) belongs to the cold deserts of Central Asia and Ladakh.