The anatomy of camels
Anatomy of a Desert Dweller
QUIZ
Will you be able to answer these questions correctly?
1. What is the average size and weight of dromedaries ?
2 . Where they come from ?
3. What do dromedaries do when they scream?
4. What is their life expectancy?
5. What is their body temperature?
Answers
1. Dromedaries are on average 2.5 meters tall and weigh between 400 and 700 kilograms.
2. They originate from the Middle East, Africa, and Australia.
3. The sound made by dromedaries and camels is called blatting (or they are said to « blatter »).
4. In Europe, because dromedaries live in more favorable conditions — with better thermal comfort, easier access to resources, and no slaughterhouses — their life expectancy is higher. They usually live around 30 years, but can exceed 40 years!
5. A dromedary’s body temperature ranges from 34°C to 42°C, depending on the external temperature. They have the ability to regulate their internal temperature based on their environment, which helps them resist heat and minimize water loss. Their temperature drops at night and rises during the day.
Anatomy
Dromedaries are ruminants, and their stomach is made up of three compartments.
Their bodies have well-developed calluses on the points that touch the ground when they lie down.
Under their chest is what’s called the « fifth knee », which helps them remain stable while lying down.
Heat resistance
The dromedary’s physiological ability to withstand extreme heat is legendary.
It is a clear sign of its adaptation to life in deserts, where heat and drought go hand in hand.
The dromedary functions like a convection radiator, releasing the heat stored during the day throughout the night — a remarkable water-saving mechanism.
In its natural environment, the dromedary often faces the relentless assault of sand-laden winds, which pose a significant risk of eye infections due to their irritating effect.
To cope with this hostile setting, it has developed remarkable adaptive traits, including antibacterial tears that help protect its eyes.
Feet
Their broad feet have two toes and a single sole.
They have short, rounded ears and a medium-length tail with a tuft at the end.
The Hump
The dromedary’s hump, which can weigh up to 90 kg when the animal is in excellent health, has a composition similar to that of a zebu: it’s a musculo-fatty mass, made up of a few muscle fibers but mainly fatty tissue that serves multiple purposes.
Despite a persistent myth, the hump is not a water reservoir.
The hump is essential to the dromedary for several reasons:
-
Energy reserve: it shrinks when the animal goes without food for several days or falls ill.
-
Thermoregulation: by concentrating fat in the hump, there is less subcutaneous fat, which improves heat dissipation and helps the animal cope better with high temperatures.
-
Water metabolism: using the fat from the hump as an energy source consumes less water than other energy sources.
With the participation of :
