An adaptive feature of camel to the desert is?

Analyze the question: It asks which feature helps a camel survive in the desert, where water is scarce and temperatures are high.

Concept: Desert animals adapt by conserving water and tolerating water loss. Camels are well known for this:

• They can lose a large share of their body water (up to about 25% of body weight) and still survive. Most mammals die at around 12-15%.
• They produce very concentrated urine and dry faeces, so little water is lost.
• They sweat very little, which reduces water loss.
• Their blood cells can swell when they drink a lot of water without bursting. This lets them drink up to 100+ litres quickly.
• Fat is stored in the hump, which acts as an energy reserve, not a water store.

Evaluate each option:

• A. Increased sweat production: Wrong. More sweating wastes water. Camels sweat very little.
• B. Passing high amounts of urine: Wrong. Camels pass small amounts of concentrated urine.
• C. Tolerating a low degree of dehydration: Wrong. This would be a weakness, not an adaptation, because it means the animal copes poorly with water loss.
• D. Tolerating a high degree of dehydration: Correct. Camels can endure severe water loss that would kill most other animals.

Answer: D

Exam tip: In "adaptation to desert" questions, pick the option that saves or tolerates loss of water. Eliminate anything that wastes water, such as more sweat or more urine. Remember: camel = conserve water + tolerate dehydration.