Camel

A camel was a large animal native to Earth. Camels were noted for their extreme endurance in desert climates and for the distinctive hump or humps on their backs. Humans used camels as a mode of transportation.

The 20th century British aircraft Sopwith Camel was named for the animal. 

Specifics
People rode camels starting thousands of years ago in Earth's history. 

Camels were capable of storing large amounts food. Camels, huskies and goo-jibs were among the animals used as beasts of burden or transportation in harsh climates. 

They had a peculiar side-to-side gait. Quark noted it when he rode on a camel in a holosuite program. Leonard McCoy recognized it while riding a vykar on Sarpeidon. 

Larpas resembled camels except that they had six legs. 

The dinosaur ankylosaurus had a nose like a camel's.

History
In May 1974, 13 hours into a trip to the Chrysalis Project base in India, Roberta Lincoln spotted some grazing camels at a rest stop and was afraid the next leg of her journey would be on camelback. Happily for her, it was by jeep. 

By 2274, years after the disaster on Ceti Alpha V, Khan Noonien Singh more than once wished camels or horses existed on the planet to shorten long trips. )

In 2279, a space station in orbit of Belle Terre was discovered with frozen humanoids aboard that had several features in common with camels: their noses, large humps, and cloven feet. 

In 2279, a herd of camels on Belle Terre reminded Pavel Chekov of small Asian camels, although he was told that they were a variety from South America with a strong natural resistance to radiation. Biologist Gwen Thee used genetic engineering to improve their resistance

In 2368, one of Reginald Barclay's favorite holodeck programs on the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) contained a caravan of camels in the Arabian desert. The program was able to show camel races. (SS TNG (Thinking of You))

Expressions

 * "The straw that broke the camel's back". (,, , , SS SNW (Empty))
 * "Trust in Allah but tie your camel."
 * "The camel's nose is under the tent."

Related animals

 * Andorian camel
 * camelephant (Fayo)
 * chuchaki (Obsidian)
 * ealix (Thiopa)
 * larpa (Boaco Six)
 * Parvonian camel
 * teelak (Harahni)
 * vykar (Sarpeidon)

Appearances

 * SS TNG (Thinking of You)
 * SS TNG (Thinking of You)
 * SS TNG (Thinking of You)
 * SS TNG (Thinking of You)
 * SS TNG (Thinking of You)
 * SS TNG (Thinking of You)