Martin Smith, age 11, of Freeport, Ill., for his question:

HOW MANY MILES A DAY CAN A CAMEL TRAVEL?

Camel is the common name for two species of large ruminant that are native to the desert regions of Asia and northern Africa. Both species have been domesticated since ancient times and both are used as a beasts of burden.

The endurance and strength of the camel have made it a valuable. Although it walks slowly, the Bactrian camel will travel up to 30 miles a day while the faster Arabian camel will cover more than 100 miles a day. The Bactrian camel can carry a 1,000 pound load while the Arabian camel is generally used as a saddle animal.

The Bactarian camel has two humps and is usually about five feet in height at the shoulder. The Arabian camel, or dromedary, has one hump and usually stands six feet tall at the shoulders.

The camel's humps are stores of flesh and fat, absorbed as nutrition when food is unavailable. A camel can subsist without water for several days.