DESCRIPTION:
Single hump. Head and body length: 10 feet. Shoulder height: 6-7 feet.
Weight:1000-1500 pounds. Body is carried on long, slender legs ending in two
toes beneath which is a broad, callous and elastic pad. Neck and head
are both elongated. Upper lip is deeply cleft. Short tail. Eyes are
heavily lashed. Ears are haired. Nostrils are slit-like. Coloration is
fawn or beige. Coat is smooth and shorter than that of the Bactrian camel,
but equally woolly.
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:
The exact range of the Arabian Camel will probably never be known. The
species exists only in the domesticated state today in Arabia and has
been introduced into other regions of the world.
DIET:
Able to eat practically anything that grows in the desert,
including salty plants rejected by other grazers. When hungry, will eat
fish, meat, bones and skin. Diet in captivity includes hay and grains
plus vitamin and mineral supplements.
LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
During rutting season, the male protrudes a fleshy fold from his
mouth and emits a loud, unpleasant roar. A single calf, rarely two, is born
after a gestation period of 13 months. The calf can move freely by the
end of the first day. The mother nurses the young for one year. Maturity
is at-5 years. Life span is 30-40 years. Females may breed every other year.
SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS:
Everything is adapted for life on the desert. Feet are broadened to walk
on sand. Eyelashes protect eyes from wind-blown sand. Nostrils close
to keeps sand out. Lips are thickened to withstand the coarsest of desert
plants. Coloration matches the environment. Callouses are present on
knees and other parts of the body that touch the hot sand when the
animal sits down. The Hump is a flesh mound not supported by bones. Are
serve of fat (not water) is stored in the hump. Hump size varies with
food supply and working conditions. Can tolerate a rise in temperature of 12
degrees Fahrenheit. Able to drink brackish or salt water. Camels
exhibit unusual tolerance for dehydration. Most animals perish when 20% of
their body weight is lost whereas camels survive a 40% loss of bodyweight
without serious consequences. Heavy fur and the fatty hump serve to insulate
the body, preventing body temperature from rising to the sweating point (the
major cause of water loss). When water again becomes available, camels are
able to restore their body water quickly; they have been known to drink one
third of their body weight in 10 minutes.
INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION:
Camels run like a giraffe with both legs on one side of the body moving
simultaneously. The resulting rocking, shuffling gait gave rise to the
term "Ship of the Desert". Camels have been used as beasts of burden
for centuries. They are known for their loathing of men and forms of
work and spit foul-smelling stomach contents when annoyed. Arabs
utilize almost every portion of the body. Tents are made of camel-haircloth.
The flesh of young camel is said to taste similar to veal. Camel milk is
nutritious and cheese is also made from it. Skin makes good leather. Dried
bones are substituted for ivory. Dung is burned as fuel on the desert. The
name "Dromedary" is properly reserved for the Arabian racing camel such as
those used in the various military camel corps. These camels can travel 80
to 120 miles per day carrying a rider. Arabian baggage camels have a heavier
build and are capable of carrying a 200 kg load up to 40 miles per day.
There are 160 words for camel in Arabic.
STATUS IN THE WILD:
Fossil remains indicate that the camel family originated in North
America. Only guanacos and vicunas may be found wild in the New World today.
Llamas and alpacas have been domesticated. Camels exist only in the
domesticated state in Africa and Asia. The Arabian camel has been
successfully introduced into Australian desert regions where it is now
feral. Attempts to introduce them into southern Europe and North
America have failed.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Nowak, Ronald. 1991. Walker’s Mammals of the World, 5th Ed., Vol II.
Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
