The Arabian Camel – Dromedary
Also known as the “Arabian camel”, the dromedary is a veritable icon among the mammals of the Sahara desert. Long indispensable to the lives of nomads, today they are mainly used for touring.
A mammal belonging to the Camelidae family and the “Camelus” genus, the dromedary was domesticated in the south of the Arabian Peninsula around 2000 or 3000 B.C.1 Unlike its cousin the camel, the dromedary has only one hump, which contains a reservoir of fat from which the animal draws the water and food it needs. The ancestor of today’s dromedary first appeared in America before 50 million years ago. A group of camelids managed to reach Asia by crossing the frozen Bering Strait.
The Arabian Camel lives mainly in the arid regions of the Sahara, from India and Arabia to the Moroccan desert. Many dromedaries are also found in Australia, having returned to the wild after being introduced to the island continent by man. They measure between 220 cm and 250 cm at the withers for the largest, and weigh between 400 and 1,100 kg, depending on the species. They have an average lifespan of 25 years.
This amazing animal can carry around 300 kilos of luggage on its long back. Loaded up, it walks at a speed of 3 to 4 km/h. The dromedary feeds on thorny plants, dry grasses and a few flowers that appear after the rain.
Camels are notorious for not drinking for long periods. However, they can quickly become thirsty, and can ingest up to 100 liters of water in 10 minutes. It is often said that a dromedary will detect a strong presence of water 100 km away. This is true if it is far from its usual home.
