Dromedary (Arabian) Camel
How many humps does the dromedary camel have?
1 (D)
How can you remember the difference between the two camel species?
1. D on its side looks like a single hump = dromedary 2. B on its side looks like a double hump = bactrian
What are the differences between bactrian and dromedary camels?
1. bactrian have 2 humps; dromedaries have one hump 2. bactrian camels grow a thick coat every winter that falls off every spring 3. bactrian camels are mild-mannered; dromedaries are more hot-tempered
How long is the camel's gestation period?
13 months
How many camel species are there?
2
How many humps does the Bactrian camel have?
2 (B)
When does a working camel retire from active duty?
25
Scientific name
Camelus dromedarius
When does the hump form?
a calf is born without a hump, and it takes a few solid meals before the hump begins to form
What is the pink sack called?
a doula
Where are the only non-domesticated camels?
a group of feral camels living in Australia
Almost all camels in the world are ___
domesticated
What color are camels?
every shade of brown, from light cream to dark brown
What do camels store in their humps?
fat
What do camels do when speed is required?
gallop or pace
What does storing water in the blood allow them to do?
go for a longer period of time than most mammals without drinking water, as water can be very scarce in the desert
Where do camels store water?
in their bloodstream
What is the camel's mouth like?
it is large, with 34 sharp teeth that enable them to eat rough thorny bushes without damaging the linings of their mouths
Bactrian camels are ___
much less common
What is the range of the domesticated form?
north Africa and the Middle East
What do camel eyelashes do?
protect their eyes from sand during sandstorms
Describe the camel's tail.
rope-like tail is over 19 inches long
Why do bactrian camels grow thick coats?
to help deal with the extreme temperature variations in the Gobi desert, where summer highs top 100 F and winter months can see significant snow
What are camels used for?
transportation of humans and goods all over the world
What are camels used for by humans?
transportation, wool, milk, meat, leather, and their dung is used as fuel for fire
What is the native range of the dromedary camel?
unclear, but probably the Arabian Peninsula
How long does the calf remain with its mother?
until it reaches maturity
How much do they weigh?
up to 1600 pounds
How much can the camel's hump weigh?
up to 80 pounds
Camels are no longer ___ animals
wild
When does the calf start to walk?
within hours of birth
How do males attract females during mating season?
the male inflates its soft palate to produce a deep pink sack, which hangs out the sides of its mouth
However, camel meat could be...
the meat of the future
What happens when the camel places its foot on the ground?
the pads spread to prevent the foot from sinking into the sand
What nickname does the camel have because of this swaying motion?
the ship of the desert
What does the concentrated urine/feces look like?
the urine can become as thick as syrup and has twice the salt content of sea water, while the fecal pellets can be used immediately for fuel for fires
How do they store water in their blood?
their blood cells are very hydrophilic
What adaptations allow them to do this?
their kidneys concentrate urine to reduce water loss, and they extract water from their feces
Instead of sweating, camels do what?
they allow their body temperatures to rise and fall from 97.7 to 107.6 degrees F
What do camels eat?
they are herbivores and are fed by people since they are domesticated; they eat dates, grass, wheat, hay, and oats
What happened to wild dromedaries?
they became extinct in their native range before 3000 BC
What are these leathery patches for?
they help support the animal's body weight when kneeling, resting, and rising
What happens when the animal reaches 5 months of age?
thick callus-like bare spots of dry skin appear on the camel's chest and knee joints
How many calves does the cow have?
usually one, but some have been known to produce twins
Camels prefer to move how?
walking
A camel does not store ___ in its hump
water
How much water can camels drink?
30 gallons in 10 minutes
Camels can lose how much water safely?
30% of their body weight
What is the normal lifespan of a camel?
40
How long can camels go with little food or water?
5-7 days
How tall are adult dromedaries?
6 feet at the shoulder, 7 feet at the hump
These camels make up __% of the world's camels
90
What will return the hump to its normal firm condition?
food and a few days' rest
How long does the calf nurse?
for 1-2 years
This swaying motion can do what to riders?
it can make them seasick
Where does the water go in the camel?
it first goes to the bloodstream, then quickly rehydrates the rest of the body's tissues
How does a camel eat?
it gulps down its food without chewing first, then later regurgitates the undigested food and chews it in cud form
Why could camel meat be the meat of the future?
it has no cholesterol and hardly any fat because fat is concentrated in the camel's hump
What is camel milk like?
it is chemically similar to cattle milk, but it has more vitamin C, fat, protein, and minerals than cow or goat milk
What can the camel do with its nose?
it twitches its nose to cool incoming air and to condense moisture from its outgoing breath
What would this much water do to other animals?
it would lead to water intoxication
Describe the camel's nose.
its nasal passages are protected by large muscular nostrils that can be opened and closed at will
This amount of water loss would...
kill any other animal
Describe camel eyes.
large, and protected by a double row of long curly eyelashes that help to keep out sand and dust, and thick bushy eyebrows to shield the eyes from the desert sun
Describe camel legs.
long thin legs have powerful muscles which allow the animal to carry heavy loads over long distances
How do males compete for females?
males threaten each other by making gurgling noises with their doula, standing as tall as possible, and repeating a series of head movements including lowering, lifting, and bending their necks backward
How quickly does the water leave the stomach?
scientists have found the camel's stomach empty 10 minutes after drinking 20 gallons of water
Describe camel ears.
small and lined with fur to filter out sand and dust but keep hearing acute
Camels do not ___
sweat
How many degrees is this fluctuation?
ten degrees
Where are Bactrian camels native?
the Gobi Desert in Mongolia
Where is the Bactrian camel found?
the Gobi desert of Asia
Where is the dromedary camel found?
the Saharan desert of Africa
What dromedaries are left?
the domesticated stock
What is special about camel red blood cells?
the hemoglobin is highly hydrophilic, so it attracts water and can swell to 240% of its normal size, but it can also resist hyper hydration so it can avoid severe osmotic problems when the camel drinks a large amount of water
What happens when the camel uses its hump fat?
the hump becomes flabby and shrinks
What happens if the camel uses too much fat?
the hump flops from its upright position and hangs down the camel's side
When is the dromedary camel's birthing season?
January to May
Where are most of these camels found?
Western India, Pakistan, and Iran to northern Africa
What is the pace?
a medium-speed movement which uses both legs on one side at a time producing a swaying or rocking motion
What is the hump?
a mound of fatty tissue from which the animal draws energy when food is hard to find
What does this fat do?
acts as a fat reserve in case they need to go a long period of time in the desert without finding food
How many domesticated dromedaries are there?
almost 13 million
In humans, what does temperature fluctuation do?
an increase of 2 degrees indicates illness, and a core temperature rise of 6 degrees results in organ damage and death
Where is the only population of "wild" dromedaries?
an introduced feral population in Australia
What are the 2 camel species?
bactrian and dromedary
What is the most widely consumed domestic meat in Saudi Arabia today?
chicken
Describe camel feet.
feet have broad, flat, leathery foot pads with two toes on each foot
When do camels reach maturity?
females reach sexual maturity at 3-4, while males reach maturity at 5-6
