|
Wild Camels in the Gobi Late in the day we noticed five wild Bactrian camels approaching from the south. Bill figured they would run off, but I wasn’t so sure. Bolder than the first group we had seen earlier, they kept on toward us. This group meant business, particularly the bull in the lead. He trotted ahead of his harem, bellowing his annoyance of our invasion of his territory. Defenseless and without retreat as an option we gathered a pile of rocks. The bull was now only two hundred feet away still roaring through yellow teeth. 
Green slime dripped from his mouth. Gray wool trailed from his shaggy sides. He was a sight right out of a horror movie. We shouted and threw rocks as fast as we could pick them up. The bull paused. His harem caught up as he silently watched, probably amazed at our bizarre performance. A large specimen, he looked enormous to two anxious humans. Cautious now, he took a few more determined paces toward us. Now sheer desperation improved our aim, and a few rocks hit him with a whack. After one rock found him squarely between his eyes, he spun and, with his harem close behind, he galloped way without a backward glance. The wild camels faded into the deepening dusk and our pounding hearts slowed. The wild camels were the second endangered species we had seen on our journey. Like the Gobi bear, the Gobi 'A' Reserve is one of their last havens. It is thought that only about 350 Bactrian camels exist there. |
  |  |  |
|
| |
|