Don't blame the camels by global warming

Never accuse science of neglecting the smallest and seemingly least dignificantes details in the search for better understanding the functioning of planet Earth. It is common knowledge that many large animals produce large amounts of methane-gas that results from your digestive process and which is much more damaging than carbon dioxide.

However, a new study by a team of Swiss investigators recently revealed why we should not blame the camels by global warming. The camels â€" like its relatives: llamas, alpacas, dromedaries and vicunas â€" produce methane during its digestion, which is 20 times more potent in terms of greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide. However, these animals produce methane in smaller quantities to ruminants such as cows, goats and sheep.

When digest the food, ruminants emit large amounts of methane, which correspond to approximately 20% of the total emissions of this gas, reports the Guardian. The assumption that was made so far was that the camels produced similar quantities to ruminants. However, researchers at the University of Zurich found that camels emit less methane than ruminants.

Ruminants and camels are similar, but not identical. Both groups of animals have compartmentalized stomachs, which allows them to regurgitate the food from camera to camera to be better digested. Is this resemblance that he the idea that camels produce an amount of methane similar to ruminants. But this idea has now been ruled out.

During the study, the research team collaborated with the Zurich Zoo and private owners of camels. The scientists then measured the amount of methane produced in three types of camelids and concluded that the three species had a lower metabolism that ruminants, because they ate less and therefore produce less methane.

Foto: jemasmith/Creative Commons

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