Allocamelus (ah-loh-kahm-ehl-uhs)

Allocamelus

An allocamelus or allocameli (plural) was a cross between a camel, a donkey, and a horse. They bore distinctive fatty deposits known as “humps” on their backs. The three species of allocamelus were the unocamelus (one hump), bicamelus (two humps), and the critically endangered tricamelus (three humps). All three breeds provided milk, water, meat, hair for textiles and goods such as felted pouches, and were working animals and mounts with tasks ranging from transport to bearing heavy loads. Allocameli were able to withstand changes in body temperature and water consumption that would have killed most other animals. Enough water was kept inside their humps that a stranded person in the desert could drink from it for a week.