No, camels are not born with teeth.
According to the provided reference (1), at birth, newborn camels have no teeth. Their mouth is toothless.
However, camels do develop teeth as they grow. The reference details the development of different types of teeth:
- Milk Cheek Teeth: Newborn camels have milk cheek teeth.
- Permanent Cheek Teeth: These milk cheek teeth are later replaced by permanent teeth. The replacement occurs with 2 teeth on each side of the upper jaw and 1 tooth on each side of the lower jaw being replaced.
- Canine Teeth: Canine teeth appear much later. They start to emerge around 6 years of age and become very large by the time the camel is 7 years old.
This process shows that while they start without teeth, camels develop a full set of permanent teeth over several years.
Summary of Camel Teeth Development
Based on the reference:
- At Birth: No teeth.
- Later: Milk cheek teeth develop and are replaced by permanent cheek teeth.
- Around 6-7 Years: Canine teeth appear and grow large.
This developmental timeline ensures the camel is initially able to nurse comfortably without teeth, and then develops robust dentition needed for processing tougher food sources later in life.
