2019 4th International Conference on Education and Social Development (ICESD 2019) ISBN: 978-1-60595-621-3 Artistic Appreciation and Cultural Connotations of Wild Camel Stamps Wurihan1,a and Guleng AMU2,b,* 1College of Materials Science and Art Design, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, Inner Mongolia, China 2College of Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, Inner Mongolia, China [email protected], bamu66@ imau.edu.cn *Corresponding author Keywords: Wild Camel; Stamp; Artistic Appreciation; Cultural Connotation; Collection. Abstract. Wild camels are rare and endangered animals that are highly adaptable to extreme drought conditions in central Asia. Since the mid-19th century, the population and distribution of wild camels has been shrinking and decreasing. Wild Camel stamps are authoritative, scientific and authentic propaganda media issued by the government. Wild camel stamp combines stamp science with wild camel science, which makes up for the deficiency of single stamp research and single wild camel research. Wild camel stamps depict, using artistic language, the indomitable vitality of the wild camel, which can withstand severe cold and heat, endure hunger and thirst, and resist harsh environment. At the same time, it also publicizes the precious value of the wild camel in the world with the unique function of stamps, reminding people to protect this ancient and magical animal. We hope that wild camel stamps, like other intangible heritages, will have a place in art, collections, and culture. Brief Introduction of Stamps The earliest stamp in the world was the “black penny” issued by the British in May 1840 [1]. Postage stamps are a sanctioned product of official government agencies [2]. The stamp has a wide range of international propaganda values. It records a period of history, geography, politics, economy, nature, humanities and art in a country, and is called “the epitome of human light” [3]. Although stamps are small, their bright colors, beautiful pictures and all-encompassing contents attract millions of stamp collectors [4]. Population and Distribution of Wild Camels The wild camel (scientific name: Camelus Ferus) is widely distributed from central Asia to western Asia [5]. Because they have two humps on the back, hence in classification, the wild camel belongs to Bactrian camel. Bactrian camel includes two species, domestic Bactrian camel and wild Bactrian camel. According to recent molecular genetic studies, there is no direct relationship between this two species, and comes from different maternal origins [5-6]. That is to say, domestic Bactrian camels are not domesticated from wild camels. The wild camels only distributed in northwest region of China and southwest region of Mongolia in world, and their distribution is extremely limited. Wild camels have been found only in the eastern Taklimakan Desert, the Gashun Gobi in northern Lop Nor, the northern foothills of the Altun Mountains and the Aqik Valley in China, and the Altai Gobi in Mongolia. The total number of wild camels has been less than 1,000 and the protection situation still severe [7]. Wild camels have been listed in the red book by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of endangered species [8]. Both Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and China classified the wild camel as Class I endangered species [9]. In order to provide a suitable living environment for wild camels, the Chinese government and Mongolian government approved and established the Altun Mountain Wild Camel Natural 10 Protection Area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Bayan Tooree Wild Camel Protection Area in Altai province in Mongolia, respectively. These two natural protection areas are typical arid and Gobi desert area of model producing environment for wild camel [7]. Collection of Wild Camel Stamp Through Colnect, China Post official website, Mongolia Post official website, e-bay, Jingdong, Taobao and other websites [10-15], total of 199 Bactrian camel stamps issued from 1927 to 2018 were collected all over the world, including 13 stamps marked with wild camels, as shown in Fig.1-10. Although the number of stamps is small, it contains stamps from 8 countries in 4 continents. Obviously wild camels have attracted worldwide attention. Artistic Appreciation of the Wild Camel Stamps Patterns are an important component of stamp which illustrates the beauty of the art [16]. The first wild camel stamp collected was called Habtagai (written by Uighur Mongolian), Hbtagai means wild camel in Mongolian language, with a face value of 1 Mongolian Tugrug, and was issued by Mongolian Post in June 1958, Fig.1. National name “Mongolia” is marked in Krill Mongolian. The main picture is the back of two strong camels running across the endless desert, showing vividly Figure 1. Mongolia 1958. the typical nature of wild camels that they are shy, alert, panic, afraid of people, easy to escape. While the border is the Mongolian traditional auspicious longevity pattern, expecting long life for this endangered species. The wild camels in these stamps have side-, front-, head-, standing- and lying-portraits, depicting the wild camels from different visual angles. The depiction of pointed hump, slender limbs and short tail is typical of biological characteristics for wild camels, Fig.3-5. Wild camels have a double row of long eyelashes, Fig.7-8, that block harsh winds that often blow sand and dust into the camels’ eyes. Their ears are also lined with hair and their top lip is divided, Fig.3, 9. The nostrils can close to shield against dust and sand. The camels’ even toed feet are tough and the soles are undivided, Fig.5, 7 [17]. Stamp in Fig.2 shows, released by Cambodia 1996, a tall female camel kindly kissing the baby camel, while the baby camel showed a slightly naughty, lively and lovely look, as if with his mother coquettish, filled with atmosphere of love, very moving. In Fig.3 (a), issued in 1993 in China, a female camel is looking around alertly to protect the baby camel standing beside her. The calf snuggles close to the mother camel as if mumbling something to his mother. The author’s plain expression of the mother-child dependence of the wild camel helps to increase people’s appreciation of this treasure. Figure 2. Cambodia. The wild camel is pregnant for 13 months before it can produce calf. Newborn cal f can walk alone on the same day, and can run and jump after two or three days, has strong environmental adaptability [18]. (a) (b) Figure 3. China 1993. Fig ure 4 . Afghanistan Figure 5. 1997. Czechoslovakia 1962. 11 Stamp in Fig.3 (b), issued in 1993 in China, depicts a half-recumbent wild camel whose lower body fades out, replaced by a rolling desert, which naturally combines animals with the background, Figure 6. Sahara 1994. Figure 7. Uzbekistan 1995. Figure 8. Mongolia 2004. and better reflects the theme of “desert boat”. Fig.5 is a stamp called Czechoslovak Zoo, released by Czechoslovakia 1962, imaging a wild camel standing gracefully at the zoo to meet visitors. Fig.6 shows the stamp released by Sahara in 1994, indicates a tall bull camel standing proudly on the icy ground with cold frost on his mouth and thick brown fur, looking out into the distance, displaying vigorous vitality in the fight against extreme weather. Wild camels have a strong ability to withstand hunger and thirst, and can survive for 56-70 days without eating or drinking [19]. Wild camels can tolerate a high dietary intake of salt, consuming eight times more than cattle and sheep, yet they do not develop hypertension [20]. Wild camels are also resistant to high sugar, its blood sugar level (6~8mmol/L) is twice as high as other ruminants, but it does not show the relevant pathological features of metabolic diseases [19]. In addition, wild camels have a well-developed sense of sight and olfactory, their migration routes are relatively fixed and never lose their way in the desert, also can smell and find the water sources from several kilometers [21]. Fig.7 shows the stamp of Tashkent Zoo series, released by Uzbekistan in 1995, depicting two wild camels grazing, one peeping out its tongue to eat sandy shrubs, and the other looking for grass in the desert. Wild camels thrive on all desert vegetation, (a) which includes salty, dry, thorny, and bitter plants. Halophytic plants, which are plants that have been growing in water with a high saline concentration, are a necessary part of Bactrian camel’s diet. Wild camel has four-compartment stomach with strong ability to store and digest food, and at rest can spit out the food in the stomach to chew [19]. Their dietary needs and preferences make them ideal candidates for desert life. Fig.9 is the Sierra Club Series stamps released by (b) (c) Antigua and Barbuda in 1994. The wild camels in the picture have front and side images, thick hairs, strong Figure 9. Anigua and Barbuda 1994. bodies, calm demeanor, all with the Sierra Club logo. 12 The Sierra Club Central is an environmental organization founded by the famous environmentalist John Muir in San Francisco on May 28, 1892. The Sierra Club has a membership of one million and its mission includes exploring, enjoying and protecting the wilderness of the planet and promoting accountability for ecosystem and resources [22]. The issue of this set of wild camel stamps shows that the protection of wild camel has attracted worldwide attention. Fig.10 shows a wild camel herd with a calf and 3 adult wild camels, from a mini sheet called Endangered Species of the Gobi Desert released by Mongolia in 2000. Wild Bactrian camels typically live in herds of 6-20 members, each containing an adult bull camel and several female camels and some calves.