Desert · Mammal
Dromedary camel
Camelus dromedarius
The camel is known as the "ship of the desert". It has lived alongside people for thousands of years and can walk for days without drinking.
- Where it lives
- North Africa and Arabia; feral herds in Australia
- Diet
- HerbivoreEats plants
- Weight
- 400–600 kg
- Shoulder height
- 2 m
- Top speed
- 40 km/h
- Lifespan (wild)
- 40–50 years
In Pawpedia: What is a mammal?What is a herbivore?
Yaman scale
Drawn side by side with Yaman, to the same scale.
Shoulder height1.3Yamans
Dromedary camel: shoulder height 2 m — that's 1.3 times Yaman's height.
Weight14Yamans
Around 500 kg — as heavy as 14 Yamans.
Common questions
Where does the dromedary camel live?
- North Africa and Arabia; feral herds in Australia. In our zoo it lives in the Desert zone.
What does the dromedary camel eat?
- It is a herbivore: it eats plants.
How big does the dromedary camel get?
- Shoulder height: 2 m. It weighs 400–600 kg.
How long does the dromedary camel live?
- 40–50 years in the wild.
How fast is the dromedary camel?
- It can reach about 40 km/h.
Is the dromedary camel endangered?
- A domesticated animal that lives with people, so it is not at risk. Its wild ancestor is extinct.
Did you know?
- Its hump stores fat, not water — it uses the fat when food is scarce.
- When thirsty, it can drink more than 100 litres of water in a few minutes.
- Double rows of eyelashes and closable nostrils protect it from sandstorms.
How safe is it?
A domesticated animal that lives with people, so it is not at risk. Its wild ancestor is extinct.
