camel milk saves lives ... and is great in chocolate

Nomads survive on camel milk for one month

article from Nigerian Tribune
http://www.tribune.com.ng/20122006/features.html

To read all about the health benefits thought to be found in camel milk as well as how it is being marketed in chocolate as well-
" people consider it a powerful tonic against many diseases. The Gulf Arabs believe it is an aphrodisiac. From the Western Sahara to Mongolia demand is booming for camel milk."

Bactrian camels from Winnipeg Zoo off to Calgary

The Winnipeg Assiniboine Park Zoo's three female Bactrian Camels are being sent to the zoo at Innisfail, Alberta, where Kleaver, their male Bactrian camel is anxiously awaiting his harem . The hope is to mate and reproduce the wild bactrian camels in captivity

http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/12/11/2736877.html

From the article "The Zoo has maintained Bactrian Camels since 1961, during which time two other males, Buddy and Ringo, sired 18 offspring. The Assiniboine Park Zoo is the only zoo in North America, and one of the few in the world, to display all six members of the camel family. Well-adapted to the cold, all six species are on display everyday throughout the winter. "




for more info on the critically endangered wild Bactrian camel visit
www.wildcamels.com

Holiday gift ideas - all about camels

our book at amazon -http://www.amazon.com/Bradford-Journey-Desert-Dawn-Zant/dp/0976176823
Bradford and the Journey to the Desert of Lop [BOX CALENDAR] (Hardcover)
by Dawn Van Zant, Alexander Levitas (Illustrator) "When the Sandman comes to visit you tonight, you need to listen closely as you close your eyes and drift off to sleep..." (more)
Key Phrases: wild camels, Desert of Lop, Lop Nor
(4 customer reviews)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
List Price: $19.99
Price: $13.59 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $6.40 (32%)

Availability: In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).


Another great idea- adopt or sponsor a wild camel at www.wildcamels.com
and save a wild bactrian camel and help continue their valuable research and help save this animal from extinction

our plush bactrian camels - Judy - now go to the Zoos to educate kids

Currently our Bradford and the Journey to the Desert of Lop books and camels are available at the gift stores at the Calgary Zoo and the Alaska Zoo - since both zoos feature real Bactrian camels on exhibit

to see a Bactrian camel up close and personal here in North America - visit one of these zoos and don't forget to learn more at the www.wildcamels.com

News of Bradford and the Journey to the desert of lop makes it to China

China Biz website picked up news on the tale of Bradford and the Journey to the desert of Lop

It brings it one step closer to the people of the desert of Lop to know their story is being told

http://www.cbiz.cn/release/showrelease.asp?id=3377


Bradford and the Journey to the Desert of Lop Brand is the Magical Tale of a Boy's Journey into China's Gobi Desert

- www.HorseToys.com, an online children’s retailer for plush toys and books, is pleased to introduce its online selection of children's toys and books in a translated version of the site in Simplified Chinese at http://www.horsetoys.com/CN/cn_default.htm. As online toy and book sales rise, offering the site in multiple languages increases the consumer base for Horsetoys. The brand of toys and books "Bradford and the Journey to the Desert of Lop" is an original heartfelt line about a young boy’s journey into China's Gobi Desert to save the last wild camels on earth. On his magical journey into the vast Gobi, he encounters lost treasures, fossils, desert nomads and discovers the Bactrian camels of the Desert of Lop that may also hold a cure for cancer and other diseases.

Reviews

http://www.rebeccasreads.com/reviews/03chi/03vand56.html
Bradford & the Journey to the Desert of Lop
Dawn Van Zant
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
2005 Wild Heart Ranch Inc.
ISBN: 0976176823

Cancer patient Brad & the Sandman take a magical trek to discover the secrets of the heart.

Dedicated to nine year old Bradford Lawless, a true warrior at heart & his battle with cancer (Ewing's Sarcoma) this tale combines elements of his real life woven into a magical journey of hope.

“When the Sandman comes to visit you tonight, you need to listen closely as you close your eyes & drift off to sleep. It is a tale of magic that lives in the desert, of buried ancient treasures, vanishing wild camels, forgotten people & the courage of a small unlikely warrior destined to be their guardian.”

Come meet a boy as he does battle with cancer & dreams of what his purpose in life is.

Come away with him, when the Sandman visits, to the ‘ends of the Earth’ where once sea covered the land & dinosaurs lived, where eagles fly & herds of camels & asses (donkeys) roam the vast orange dunes, & people are far & few between.

Come listen to the stories the grains of sand have to tell, of history & kings, treasures & mysteries, as Bradford searches for his purpose.

Bradford and the Journey to the Desert of Lop is a lyrical, lively bedtime tale, filled with vivid images & magical insights.

The bold & bright illustrations are by Alexander Levitas, who lives on a kibbutz in Israel & knows something of deserts.

In researching for this book Dawn Van Zant learnt about the last of the true wild Bactrian camels - Camelus bactianus ferus - from John Hare, founder of the Wild Camel Protection Foundation (www.wildcamels.com) with Jane Goodall as its patron. Their sole aim is to protect these endangered animals & their fragile habitat in the Gobi & Gashun Gobi deserts of Northwest China & Southwest Mongolia in the hopes that their immune system may hold answers to research in arresting diabetes & cancer.

Do contact WildHeartRanch.com for a plush & cuddly Bactrian camel Judy to hug while reading this tale of magic & hope. Wild Heart Ranch is a publishing, entertainment & toy company which creates non-violent toys & products based on original ideas, stories & characters that offer light & magic to children's lives.

More from Dawn Van Zant:
No More Night Mares: A Dream of Freedom
I Sea Horses: From Sky to Sea
(02/26/06)

Rebecca

Zoroaster the prophet , named " Old camels "

Zoroaster was an ancient prophet named based on the
compound in the Avestan language, of zarəta- "old" and uštra "camel", translating to "having old camels, the one who owns old camels". The first part of the name has also been translated as "yellow" or "golden", from the Avestan zaray, (Modern Persian zærd) giving the meaning "[having] yellow camels".

A more romantic, but inaccurate, translation of the name, in the past has been "[bringer of the] golden dawn", based on the mistaken assumption that the second part of the name is a variant of the Vedic word Ushas meaning "dawn".

This last translation seems to have derived from a desire to give a more fitting meaning to the prophet's name than "owner of feeble camels".

His prophecy and relgion cannot be accurately dated and range from 1400 BC to 485 BC
His background is said to be Bactrian - as the bactrian camels are named after.

His philosophy- Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds.

There is only one path and that is the path of Truth.

Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, and then all beneficial rewards will come to you

The spiritual power and hope of the bactrian camel

Doing some research tonight on bactrian camels, I found this project and under the current circumstances of war in the Middle East and recent terrorism threats - this was heartwarming and welcome.
Learning about the wild camels has been a very spiritual journey for me and also for others -

Please read about hope for peace and nomadic life with camels-
The Silk Road Project
This project promotes Culture, Education, Bio diversity, Sustainability and Integrity

http://gittaohan.tripod.com/id2.html


Gittaohan is a collaboration Project group comprising people of nine nations and six religions that promotes an international message of peace and sensibility. We research and share this message on multiple levels: # The truthful way of Nomadic Cultures. # The respectful and ecological use of animals, training with non-violent techniques. # The connection between human and animal for human psychological, health and educational benefits. # The value of travel for the correct exchange and understanding of culture for a global evaluation of humanism. # Educating and sharing with children, who will put into practice this global message of unity and diversity. # Protection and Husbandry programs for the Bactrian camel. These are issue we in the Gittaohan project feel very strongly about and we are constantly researching to open relations with other people with compassion, knowledge and interest to build the consciousness of this way of life. We invite all to share the experience with our beautiful animals and hope to provide a network to help ensure this style of life remains a possibility We travel the old Silk Road, following the steps of all the courageous caravans and famous philosophers, educators, researchers and prophets before us. Gittaohan travels to schools, organisations and festivals and receives hundreds of people in their camp everyday. For twenty years Gittaohan has made two full lengths of the Silk Road from Europe to Asia. We have deep knowledge of the cultural reality and traditions of the Silk Road and we hope to share the knowledge we have. All cultures, classes and societies are welcome to contribute to the message for an alternative and truthful solution

Judy and the Chimps

I recenlty read about a non profit dedicated to giving lab chimpanzees a better life . After reading that several of them were afraid to go to sleep at night , I contacted them and we are sending them some of our favorite bedtime plush toys- the cuddly plush" Judy" wild bactrian camel from our book - Bradford and the Journey to the desert of Lop.

To learn more about Save the Chimps- visit- http://www.savethechimps.org/about.asp
and see why were compelled to reach out

Gobi- Taklimakan Ancient lost city

Ancient city reveals life in NW China desert 2,200 years ago



Chinese and French archaeologists claim to have discovered the ruins of an ancient city which disappeared in the desert in Northwest China more than 2,200 years ago.

The ancient city, shaped like a peach, is located in the center of the Taklimakan Desert, the second largest shifting desert in the world, covering a total area of 337,600 square kilometers, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
full story :
">http://english.people.com.cn/200605/22/eng20060522_267664.html">

I would like a camel milk chocolate please

camel milk- even a new kind of camel milk chocolate could be on its way-
Read more :


camel milk: Surmounting a few production humps
Thursday, 20 April 2006,
Press Release: United Nations
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00337.htm

By surmounting a few production humps, camel milk could bring in billions – UN
Developing camel dairy products such as milk can not only provide more food to people in arid and semi-arid areas but also give nomadic herders a rich source of income, with a $10 billion world market entirely within the realm of possibility, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

“The potential is massive. Milk is money,” FAO’s Dairy and Meat expert Anthony Bennett said in a review of camel milk potential, noting that the agency is hoping donors and investors will come forward to develop the sector not only at the local level but helping it move into lucrative markets in the Middle East and the West.

“No one’s suggesting intensive camel dairy farming, but just with improved feed, husbandry and veterinary care daily yields could rise to 20 litres,” he added, noting that at present production is a low-tech business with a meagre five litres a day considered a decent yield.

Since fresh camel milk fetches roughly $1 a litre on African markets, that would mean serious money for nomad herders who now have few other sources of revenue.

From the Western Sahara to Mongolia demand is booming for camel milk, but there just isn’t enough to go round. State-of-the art camel rearing is rudimentary, and much of the 5.4 million tonnes of milk currently produced every year by the world population of some 20 million camels is guzzled by young camels themselves.

To devotees, camel milk is pure nectar. While slightly saltier than cows’ milk, it is three times as rich in Vitamin C as its bovine equivalent. But tapping the market involves surmounting a series of humps in production, manufacturing and marketing.

One problem lies in the milk itself, which has so far not proved to be compatible with the UHT (Ultra High Temperature) treatment needed to make it long-lasting. But the main challenge stems from the fact that the producers involved are, overwhelmingly, nomads, a situation similar to a tomato cannery depending on suppliers who regularly disappear, taking their tomatoes with them.


Another problem is that nomad camel herders are often reluctant to sell their spare milk, which tradition reserves for honoured guests and the poor. It has been noted, however, that such reluctance can be dispelled by the offer of a good price.

Jumping on the camel train, Vienna-based chocolatier Johann Georg Hochleitner intends to launch this autumn a low-fat, camel milk chocolate with funding from the Abu Dhabi royal family, making it in Austria from powdered milk produced at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, then shipping 50 tons back to the Gulf each month.

“It sounds crazy but it’s a huge project. There’s a potential market of 200 million in the Arab world,” Mr. Hochleitner says.

Baby bactrian camel born in Wales

Colwyn Bay Welsh Mountain Zoo is the home to new baby camel "Scrummy" , the first bactrian camel born in Wales
http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/regionalnews/tm_objectid=16905899&method=full&siteid=50142&headline=scrummy-s-a-real-mummy-s-girl-name_page.html#story_continue

Scrummy's a real mummy's girl Apr 5 2006

By David Powell, Daily Post

BABY camel Scrummy makes her first public appearance at Colwyn Bay Welsh Mountain Zoo yesterday.

Scrummy became the first Bactrian camel to be born in Wales when proud mum Flanka gave birth on February 16.

Bactrian camels are highly endangered with only 1,000 remaining in the wild, and the zoo is part of a carefully controlled international captive species breeding programme.

Mum Flanka and dad Lock - named in the aftermath of the Rugby World Cup - are enjoying the company of their lively new offspring who, while cute and cuddly now, will grow to be


North Wales




Scrummy's a real mummy's girl Apr 5 2006




By David Powell, Daily Post






BABY camel Scrummy makes her first public appearance at Colwyn Bay Welsh Mountain Zoo yesterday.

Scrummy became the first Bactrian camel to be born in Wales when proud mum Flanka gave birth on February 16.

Bactrian camels are highly endangered with only 1,000 remaining in the wild, and the zoo is part of a carefully controlled international captive species breeding programme.

Mum Flanka and dad Lock - named in the aftermath of the Rugby World Cup - are enjoying the company of their lively new offspring who, while cute and cuddly now, will grow to be 2.4m (seven feet) tall and will weigh three quarters of a tonne.


Zoo director Nick Jackson said: "It is wonderful that we now have a genuine Welsh baby for our visitors to admire.


"Camels are big, beautiful and delightfully smelly creatures. They grab respect and admiration from children and adults."


Bactrian camels are the two-humped variety and are found in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and in the Gashun Gobi in China.


They featured in the BBC's Planet Earth documentary on Sunday, when viewers watched a dramatic chase across a desert to film the timid creatures.


They are recognised by the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) as highly endangered.

for info on saving wild bactrian camels visit: www.wildcamels.com

Illegal miners threaten wild camel's survival

Illegal miners threaten wild camel's survival
From Jane Macartney in Beijing

ON AN expedition in China’s remote Lop Nur desert six years ago the British explorer and camel conservationist John Hare stumbled across a valley whose rare argali sheep and endangered wild Tibetan asses had never seen man.
Returning late last year to the Kum Su spring, Mr Hare found a valley of death. Sheep skeletons lay on the ground and no living animal was to be seen. Gold-miners had found the spring and had used its water for the processing of rock with potassium cyanide to extract the precious metal. They had shot the sheep for food and left behind 74 opened four-gallon cyanide drums. Mr Hare, founder of the Wild Camel Protection Foundation, said: “You can imagine my feelings — to go into a naive animal population is so rare on this planet and to go back and to find the whole thing devastated.”

The spring lies in hills at the foot of the Arjin escarpment, in the foothills of Tibet within the Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve that covers 65,000 sq km (25,000 sq miles) of mostly inhospitable desert in far western China. For decades this was a nuclear testing ground. Mr Hare said: “If this is not checked in the Arjin and Kunlun mountains it will be lethal to all wildlife.” It was another survey of the wild Bactrian camel, the last in the world, that had taken the explorer to the Kum Su spring. In the spring in 1999 he saw a wild camel waddle away into the desert at his approach. On his visit last year, he saw none.

Nevertheless, he believes that 650 of the double-humped camels — on the critically endangered list of the World Conservation Union since 2002 — still roam in Lop Nur. Aerial surveys to assess the numbers are impossible since the shy animals make their home in what remains a military zone. Threats to the survival of the dwindling herds come not only from the miners, but from hunters and wolves. There were 3,000 wild camels in 1980-81 but it is now outnumbered by the endangered panda, estimated at 1,000 still in the wild.

more info - http://www.wildheartranch.com/ourBrands/ob_desertOfLop.htm
or www.wildcamels.com