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4147 County Road 114
Sugarcreek, OH 44681
330-893-4200
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Dromedary Camel
Camelus dromedarius
Dromedary Camels at The Farm at Walnut Creek
Description

The dromedary or Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius) is a large even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East;[1] the world's only population of dromedaries exhibiting wild behavior is an introduced feral population in Australia.

The dromedary camel is one of the best-known members of the camel family. Other members of the camel family include the llama and the alpaca in South America. The Dromedary has one hump on its back, in contrast to the Bactrian camel which has two.
Physical Description
A dromedary skeleton structure Adult males grow to a height of 1.8–2.0 m, and females to 1.7–1.9 m. The weight is usually in the range of 400–600 kg for males, with females being 10% lighter. They show remarkable adaptability in body temperature, from 34 °C to 41.7 °C, this being an adaptation to conserve water.[2] Male dromedaries have a soft palate, which they inflate to produce a deep pink sack, which is often mistaken for a tongue, called a Douala in Arabic, hanging out of the sides of their mouth to attract females during the mating season. Dromedaries are also noted for their thick eyelashes and small, hairy ears.
Ecology & Behavior
Domesticated camels at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt: Dromedaries were first domesticated in central or southern Arabia some thousands of years ago. Experts are divided regarding the date: some believe it was around 4000 BC, others as recently as 1400 BC. There are currently almost 13 million domesticated dromedaries, mostly in the area from Western India via Pakistan through Iran to northern Africa. None survive in the wild in their original range, although the escaped population of Australian feral camels is estimated to number at least 300,000[3] and possibly over 1 million.[4] Around the second millennium BC, the dromedary was introduced to Egypt and North Africa. In the Canary Islands, the dromedaries were introduced recently as domestic animals. A caravan of dromedaries in southern Algeria: Although there are several other camelids, the only other surviving species of true wild camel today is the Bactrian Camel. The Bactrian camel was domesticated sometime before 2500 BC in Asia, well after the earliest estimates for the dromedary. The Bactrian camel is a stockier, hardier animal, being able to survive from Iran to Tibet.[5] The dromedary is taller and faster: with a rider they can maintain 8-9 mph (13-14.5 km/h) for hours at a time. By comparison, a loaded Bactrian camel moves at about 2.5 mph (4 km/h).[6]
History
Uses
Dromedaries are used as a beast of burden in most of its domesticated range. Unlike horses, they kneel for the loading of Dromedary Camels caravan with packspassengers and cargo. Dromedaries have a reputation for being bad-tempered and obstinate creatures that spit and kick. A camel will show displeasure by stamping its feet and running. Their hair is also used as a source material for woven goods, ranging from Bedouin tents to garments. Dromedary meat is consumed on a large scale in the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia, Sudan, and to a lesser extent Egypt, among other places. Border guards in many remote desert locations in Egypt use camels for patrols. Such mounted border guards are called Haggan ( Hagganah).
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4147 County Road 114
Sugarcreek, OH 44681
PH: (330) 893-4200
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