Arabian (Dromedary) Camel
By: John Davis
Classification Order
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Artiodactyla
Family:Camelidae
Genus:Camelus
Species :Camelus dromedarius
Evolutionary Relationships
- Alpacas, Llamas, and Vicugnas
Habitat
- Dromedary camels live in the desert. Their habitat regions are temperate and terrestrial.
Type of Diet
- Herbivore
- Folivore
- 70% of diet consists of shrubs and forbs
- They also eat thorny plants, dry grasses, and saltbush
- Dromedaries need 6-8 times as much salt than other animals because they use it to store water
- Leaves
Social Interactions
- They usually form groups of 2-20 camels
- Males are the dominant members of the family
- Males can have one or many mates at a time
- They aren't aggressive
- The male of the family walks in between the females to prevent them from confronting each other
How do they move?
- Dromedary camels walk in a single file line usually with the females taking turns leading and the male bringing up the rear
- They can run at speeds of 40 mph in short bursts
- They can sustain speeds of up to 25 mph
Size and Weight
- Males weight can range from 800-1320 lbs and their height can range from 5.9-6.6 ft
- Females weight can range from 660-1190 lbs and their height can range from 5.6-6.2 ft
Endangered Status
- Dromedary camels are in no danger of becoming endangered
- Their adaptation to the desert help them thrive and survive
Interesting Facts and Adaptations
- Dromedary camels have been domesticated for about 3,500 years
- They can carry large loads for up to 25 miles a day
- The camels nostrils close to keep sand out of their noses
- They have long bushy eyebrows and two rows of eyelashes to keep the sand out of their eyes
- They have large, tough lips to eat the dry and thorny desert vegetation
- They have think footpads to help them maneuver on the rocky terrain and the desert sand
- Only has one hump
- Camels can survive without water for up to 10 months