Fun Dromedary Camel Facts For Kids

If someone asks you about an animal who is titled, the ship of the desert, then what would be your answer? Of course, it’s a camel. A camel is a mammal found in arid regions. Camels are well known for their ability to walk easily on sand, and storing water in their back hump. There are two types of camels, a dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) and a Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus). This camel species is different from its cousin the wild Bactrian camel wherein dromedary camel has one hump while a Bactrian camel has two humps. Dromedary camel is an extremely strong animal as it can cover distances of over 25 miles a day while carrying loads of up to 900 lb. This one humped camel species can maintain a speed of around 25 mph for long periods.There are various dromedary camel adaptations that help the dromedary hump camel survive in the desert landscape for long periods such as two rows of long eyelashes to prevent the sand from entering the eyes, tough lips to eat thorny desert vegetation, thick footpads to move easily in sand, and ability to regulate body temperature to reduce sweating and conserve water. This article will cover all the interesting facts about a dromedary camel and the difference between a camel and a dromedary. So, without wasting any time, let’s begin with some interesting dromedary facts. You may also read spiral-horned antelope facts and Indian palm squirrel to know more about the amazing animals in our animal kingdom.‍

What do they prey on? N/A

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 1 calf

How much do they weigh? Male: 881-1322 lb Female: 660–1190 lb

How long are they? N/A

How tall are they? Male: 6-7 ftFemale: 5.5-6.5 ft ‍

What do they look like? Brown, black, tan, cream

Skin Type Coarse hair

What were their main threats? Droughts

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Deserts And Scrublands

Locations Northern Africa, Afghanistan And Australia, Middle East Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Camelus

Class Mammalia

Family Camelidae

Dromedary Camel Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a dromedary camel?A dromedary camel is also known as an Arabian dromedary camel, a type of camel a part of the Camelidae family. These camels can be found in deserts and are loving with their rightful owners.What class of animal does a dromedary camel belong to?A dromedary belongs to the mammal class of wild animals. One humped dromedaries are found in the deserts of northern Africa and in parts of Asia as well.How many dromedary camels are there in the world?Dromedary camels are common in the Middle Eastern regions of Asia. Their estimated population is 13-14 million. The majority of the dromedary camel population is domesticated.Where does a dromedary camel live?Dromedary camels are commonly prevalent in the deserts of Middle Eastern Asian countries. They can be found living with their owners in the deserts. Their owners usually provide them with care and a suitable habitat.What is a dromedary camel’s habitat?Dromedary camels are native to wild deserts, but they can live well in slightly colder temperatures as well. They do not have any specific habitat requirements.Who do dromedary camels live with?Dromedary camels live in groups known as herds. The dominant male leads the herd. Many male dromedary camels can form their own herd, known as a bachelor herd. Camels are highly social animals, and they greet each other by blowing in each other’s faces.How long does a dromedary camel live?The average lifespan of a dromedary camel is 40-50 years.How do they reproduce?In order to reproduce, the male dromedary camel attempts to threaten other males by creating low sounds with the help of fleshy folds present in their mouth. They try to stand as tall as they can, and then they repeat a combination of various head movements such as lowering, lifting, and bending their necks backward. At the time of competing, males fight with each other and they attempt to bring their opponent down the ground. In order to bring their opponent down, they bite their opponent’s leg and take his head in between their jaws. The duration of copulation can be 7-35 minutes long, while the average duration is 11-15 minutes.The female gains sexual maturity at the age of three and starts mating at the age of 4-5 years. On the other hand, the males begin to gain sexual maturity by the age of three years, and reach their sexual development at the age of six years only.Dromedary camels are seasonal breeders. The breeding season occurs in the winter season and usually overlaps with the rainy season. The beginning of the breeding season is said to be lined up by nutritional status of the camel and the day length. The gestation period of the dromedary camel is 390-410 days long. The female can give birth to a single calf at once.What is their conservation status?The conservation status of the dromedary camel is the least concerned as they are domesticated.Dromedary Camel Fun FactsNow that, we know about the class, population, reproduction, lifespan, habitat, and conservation status of a dromedary camel, we shall now move forward with some very exciting fun facts about a dromedary camel.What do dromedary camels look like?Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius), also known as Arabian camels, have a long curved neck with a deep-narrow chest and a hump. The hump on the back of the camel is made up of fat and fibrous tissues. This hump helps in storing food in times of need.The size of the hump depends upon the nutritional status of the camel. The nutritional status of the camel will drive the size of the hump from small to lean. The lips of dromedary camels are thick. These thick lips enable the camel to eat coarse and thorny plants.Dromedaries are usually sandy brown in color. However, their fur can vary from black to white.Dromedary camels have longer hair at the throat, shoulder, and hump. The feet are pad-shaped and this helps them to walk easily on sand. Dromedary camels are prone to injuries from sharp stones, and hence they are not suitable for the areas that are muddy and slippery.How cute are they?Camels are neither very cute nor very ugly. They are moderately attractive animals. Camels are very good at bonding with humans.How do they communicate?In order to communicate, they make various sounds such as moaning, groaning, humming, high-pitched bleats, loud bellows, and rumbling roars.How big is a dromedary camel?The dromedary camel shoulder height can go up to 7 ft for males and 6.5 ft for females.Dromedary camels are well known for their ability to walk effortlessly on the sand. They can run at an impressive speed of 40 miles per hour in arid surroundings.How much does a dromedary camel weigh?The average range of the dromedary camel weight for males is 881-1322 lb, and the average range of weight for females is 660-1190 lb. Their hump enables them to store up to 80 lb fat which can let them survive for months.What are their male and female names of the species?This might sound a little bit odd, but a male camel is called a bull and a female camel is called a cow.What would you call a baby dromedary camel?A baby dromedary camel will be called a calf.What do they eat?Dromedary camels are herbivore creatures. They mainly eat thorny plants, dry grasses, and saltbush.They can eat almost everything which grows in the desert. Almost 70% of their diet consists of shrubs and forbs. The dromedary camels spend about 8-12 hours grazing with equal amounts spent on ruminating. While foraging, the dromedaries spread over vast areas, and then they choose only a few leaves.This type of feeding behavior lowers the stress on the plants and competition with the other herbivores in the region. This kind of eating behavior also reduces the chances of consuming any toxic plant material.The dromedaries need to consume salts 6-8 times more than any other animals for absorption and storage of water. One-third of their diet must be from halophytic plants. They can live without water for several weeks.Dromedaries can browse up to a height of 3.5 m. They break off branches and strip off leaves from them in one movement. In order to grasp the food, they use their lips, and they chew their food around 40-50 times. Camels keep their mouth open while chewing thorny food.Are they friendly?Yes, dromedary camels are friendly. They are gentle and calm creatures who love to build bonds with humans.Would they make a good pet?Of course, they can make a good pet. Dromedary camels are friendly animals. They can bond nicely with humans. And also, they can live in slightly lower climates as well. So, they are very well suited for domestication. The majority of the camel population is domesticated.Did you know…Camels are a bit slower than horses. Camels are indeed fast runners, but when compared to a horse, these wild camels are a bit slower because the average running speed of a camel is 40 miles per hour, while on the other hand, a horse can run at a speed of 55 miles per hour.When you compare dromedary vs camel, the major difference is the number of humps present at the back wherein the dromedary has a single hump and the ordinary camel has two humps. The dromedary has short hair, which protects it from the heat, whereas the ordinary camel can grow a thick winter coat. Dromedary camels have longer limbs than ordinary camels.What adaptations does a dromedary camel have to be able to live in the desert?Dromedary camels have some really impressive adaptations, which makes them well suited for a desert lifestyle. Dromedaries have a double eyelashes which protects them from blowing sand.Additionally, at the onset of a sandstorm, these desert mammals have a unique ability to close their nostrils. This prevents the sand from entering inside their nose.Dromedaries are able to store water in a variety of different ways allowing them to live without water for several weeks.Water is stored and conserved by the camel’s unique ability to regulate its body temperature as and when needed. The temperature varies in the range of 34°C to 41.7° C.This fluctuation helps this wild camel to store water by reducing the sweating level to negligible amounts.Dromedary camels are able to tolerate exceptional amount of water loss and still survive. Furthermore, the dromedary camels rehydrate rapidly, as these desert mammals are capable of drinking 100 liters of water within 15 minutes.For how long have dromedary camels been domesticated?Dromedary camels have been domesticated for over 3,500 years. These creatures are calm and friendly. These animals are commonly kept as domestic pets in deserted areas. Their ability to walk easily on sand makes them the ideal pet animal in the deserts.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including African civet or kangaroo.You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Dromedary camel coloring pages.

What type of animal is a dromedary camel?

A dromedary camel is also known as an Arabian dromedary camel, a type of camel a part of the Camelidae family. These camels can be found in deserts and are loving with their rightful owners.

Fun Dromedary Camel Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? N/A

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 1 calf

How much do they weigh? Male: 881-1322 lb Female: 660–1190 lb

How long are they? N/A

How tall are they? Male: 6-7 ftFemale: 5.5-6.5 ft ‍

What do they look like? Brown, black, tan, cream

Skin Type Coarse hair

What were their main threats? Droughts

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Deserts And Scrublands

Locations Northern Africa, Afghanistan And Australia, Middle East Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Camelus

Class Mammalia

Family Camelidae

Fun Dromedary Camel Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? N/A

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 1 calf

How much do they weigh? Male: 881-1322 lb Female: 660–1190 lb

How long are they? N/A

How tall are they? Male: 6-7 ftFemale: 5.5-6.5 ft ‍

What do they look like? Brown, black, tan, cream

Skin Type Coarse hair

What were their main threats? Droughts

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Deserts And Scrublands

Locations Northern Africa, Afghanistan And Australia, Middle East Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Camelus

Class Mammalia

Family Camelidae

Fun Dromedary Camel Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? N/A

What do they eat? Herbivores

Average litter size? 1 calf

How much do they weigh? Male: 881-1322 lb Female: 660–1190 lb

How long are they? N/A

How tall are they? Male: 6-7 ftFemale: 5.5-6.5 ft ‍

What do they look like? Brown, black, tan, cream

Skin Type Coarse hair

What were their main threats? Droughts

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Deserts And Scrublands

Locations Northern Africa, Afghanistan And Australia, Middle East Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Camelus

Class Mammalia

Family Camelidae