What you never knew about camels
By Monty Siekerman
Freshmen Libby Sartschev and Sam Arnold, right, ride a camel led by Don Strobel of Jungle Island Zoo in Delphos. The ONU Student Planning Committee brought free camel rides to the Tundra last Wednesday. (Photo by Trevor Jones/Ohio Northern University
Wednesday is "Hump Day"...always is, but how often can you ride a humped-back critter on that day?
The ONU Student Planning Committee annually brings camels to campus on a Wednesday in the spring. This event is a popular attraction for students, faculty, and staff and their children.
Some interesting camel facts:
• Live 40 to 50 years
• Adults weigh 2,200 pounds
• Height is 6 feet at shoulder
• Can run 25 mph, sprint at 40 mph
• Good for human transport and as a pack animal
• Also, provide milk, meat, hair for textiles
• They do not store water in their humps as once thought
• They can drink 53 gal. of water in 3 minutes
• There are two kinds:
Dromedary have 1 hump, live in Middle East
Bactrian have 2 humps, live in Central Asia
Stories Posted This Week
Friday, September 25, 2026
- Bluffton Icon headlines, Sept. 25
- Clay, community, and the classroom
- Freshman Rister just misses qualification for girls golf districts
- Ada boys golf 4th at sectionals; Rister, Shook make districts
- Send October 2026 calendar events to the Icon
- Bulldogs and Black Knights team up to Volley for a Cure
- Cursive Ohio charity ride donates $3,150 to Ohio ArgAbility
- ONU Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2026
- Ohio Northern recognizes rising stars, proven leaders
Thursday, September 24, 2026
- Bluffton Icon headlines, Sept. 24
- Roundabouts celebrated for crash reduction
- Letter: Ada Lions Club thanks volunteers and sponsors for food booth support
- ODNR urges caution during fall wildfire season
- Hello, Goodbye: Diphenhydramine for allergies
- Village of Ada shares follow-up survey for strategic planning