Hello, friends! My name is Kalila, and I’m a young dromedary camel with soft, sandy-colored fur. I have one hump on my back (that’s what “dromedary” means!), long eyelashes that help keep sand out of my eyes, and big, curious brown eyes that are always looking for new things to learn about!

I live at the edge of a vast, beautiful desert with my mother and our human family. The desert might look empty to some, but to me, it’s full of wonders and adventures waiting to be discovered!

One morning as the sun was painting the sand dunes gold, I asked my mother a very important question: “Why do humans need us, Mama? What makes camels so special?” I wasn’t sure what made us different from other animals or why we were so important to our human friends.

Instead of just telling me, my wise mother took me on an adventure to show me all the wonderful ways camels help people! First, we visited our family’s garden with beautiful date palms stretching up toward the blue sky. I watched as my mother helped Omar, the oldest son in our human family, pull water from a deep well. Her strength made the work much easier!

At the marketplace in town, I saw camels carrying all sorts of amazing things – colorful carpets, baskets filled with sweet dates, and sacks of spicy-smelling spices. Mother explained that we’re like “ships of the desert” because we can carry heavy loads across the sand for many days without getting tired or thirsty.

I learned that our special feet don’t sink into soft sand, and we can go a very long time without drinking water (though I do love a good drink when I can get it!). Our soft wool keeps people warm when they weave it into blankets and clothes. And some camels, like my cousin Hassan, help guide travelers safely across the desert because we never forget the way to water and can smell it from far away!

But the most important thing I learned is that we’re family to our humans. We share our lives with them, help them survive in the harsh desert, and bring joy to their children who play safely near our legs, sheltered from the strong desert winds.

That night, as I lay under a sky full of twinkling stars, I felt so proud to be a camel. We help in so many ways – with our strength, our wool, our knowledge of the desert, and most importantly, with our friendship and love.

                                                                                      Sending sandy smiles your way! Kalila🐪