Bactrian Camel

450 to 500 kg. The most noticeable feature of C. bactrianus is its two humps.

Camels are herbivores.

Mating season occurs in the fall, with inbreeding often involved in domesticated camels. Domestic camels travel in caravans across the desert. The camel's habitat consists mainly of Asia's deserts.

Camels were thought to be extinct in the wild.

Dromedary, or Arabian Camel

300 to 690 kg. The dromedary camel is characterized by a long-curved neck, deep-narrow chest, and a single hump.

The dromedary camel is a herbivore.

The dromedary camel has a lifespan of about 40-50 years. With the exception of rutting males, dromedaries show very little aggressive behavior. The camels prefer desert conditions characterized by a long dry season and a short rainy season.

Since the dromedary camel is domesticated, the camel has no special status in conservation (Busch Gardens 1996).

Llama

130 to 155 kg. Llamas feet are slender and their limbs are long.

Llamas are herbivorous, feeding on many kinds of grasses and leaves.

Llamas reach sexual maturity at about 12-24 months. The Lama glama lives only in domestication. Llamas are found in deserts, mountainous areas, and grasslands.

The population of llamas has declined since road building reduced their importance in transportation.

Guanaco

115 to 140 kg. They stand at 1,100 to 1,200mm at the shoulder and have slender bodies with long limbs and neck.

Guanacos are herbivores that can inhabit dry areas and forego drinking for long periods.

Females are apparently induced ovulators. There are three types of social groups: family groups, male troops, and solitary males. Guanacos inhabit grasslands and shrublands from sea level to 4,000m. Occasionally they winter in forests.

Guanacos have had their numbers drastically reduced due to human pressures of habitat encroachment, habitat destruction, and hunting.

Vicuna

35 to 65 kg. The vicuna is the smallest living species among the family Camelidae.

The vicuna is strictly a grazer.

Mating begins in March and April. Vicunas are alert and shy animals that flee very rapidly. Vicunas are found in semiarid rolling grasslands and plains at altitudes of 3,500-5,750 meters.

The vicuna is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, and as endangered by the USDI. ##

##

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use XML::Simple;

my $file = 'files/camelids.xml';
my $xs1 = XML::Simple->new();

my $doc = $xs1->XMLin($file, forcearray => 1);

foreach my $key (keys (%{$doc->{species}})){
   print $doc->{species}->{$key}->{'common-name'}[0];
   print " ($key) ";
   print "\n";
}

##

##

print $doc->{species}->{$key}->{'physical-characteristics'}[0];

##

##

print $doc->{species}->{$key}->{'physical-characteristics'}['mass'];