Dromedary is a one-humped camel: animal description, habitat

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Dromedary is one of two species of camels living on our planet. It has been domesticated by man for a very long time and is widely distributed as a pet, especially in the arid regions of Asia, Africa, and Australia. The article will tell you what the one-humped camel is called, where it lives, what it looks like, what lifestyle it leads.

Origin of camels

Dromedary, or dromedary (Latin Camelus dromedarius) is a one-humped camel. In addition to it, another species belongs to the genus Camelidae - Camelus bactrianus, or Bactrian. This is a two-humped camel. The Camelidae genus is included in the Camelidae family along with llamas (two or three species) and vicunas (one species). Their characteristic features include two-toed limbs with blunt nails (unlike other artiodactyls), the absence of horns, and a relatively long neck.

This family was once much more numerous, but many of its species became extinct due to climatic disasters indifferent eras. It comes from North America and is 45 million years old. From this continent, camelids gradually settled in Asia, Europe, South America, northern Africa.

Distribution

The modern distribution area of camels does not coincide with their place of origin. So, the dromedary (this is a one-humped camel) is mainly distributed in North Africa and the Middle East, while the Bactrians are in China, Mongolia, and Central Asia. Small herds of wild Bactrians are still found in remote, hard-to-reach areas of China and Mongolia. Unlike its closest relative, the dromedary is a fully domesticated species, and wild one-humped camels, apart from the re-feral Australian ones, are not found in nature.

These animals were domesticated, according to scientists, approximately in the third millennium BC on the territory of the Arabian Peninsula.

Description

Dromedaries are much smaller than their closest relatives. So, if the growth of a Bactrian, together with humps, can reach 2 m 70 cm, and up to 2 m 30 cm, then a one-humped camel at the withers grows only up to 2 m 30 cm. The body length of dromedaries is from 2 m 30 cm to 3 m 40 cm, weight - from 300 to 700 kg, while a large thoroughbred male Bactrian can weigh a ton. The tail of a one-humped camel in length reaches no more than 50 cm. The color of the coat is often sandy, but can be lighter or darker, up to dark brown. It is longer on the head, neck and back of dromedary camels.

These animals have a long neck and an elongated head. Upper lipsplit. On the eyelids - long eyelashes.

Despite their unusual appearance, dromedaries are very harmoniously built animals. They are long-legged, quite mobile, extremely hardy, and for the inhabitants of many desert regions they are still indispensable assistants in the movement and transportation of goods. Here, a camel caravan is still not uncommon. The animal can carry up to 150 kilograms. In addition, camels provide their owners with meat, milk and wool.

Adaptation to life in dry climates

This animal, not without reason called the ship of the desert, can do without water for a long time: under load - a week, and in a free state - several months! This is due to the special properties of the camel's body, which allow it not to sweat at temperatures below +40 degrees. Thick wool protects him from the heat and scorching rays of the sun. The number of sweat glands on the skin is small. In addition, at night, the body temperature of camels noticeably decreases, and during the day it heats up slowly. All this helps to reduce the release of sweat, and consequently, the loss of body fluids.

In addition, a camel may not eat for a long time, getting energy from fat reserves in the hump. An animal's body is designed in such a way that it can lose up to 25% of its own weight and up to 40% of its fluid, and still stay alive. But, getting to the water after a long absence from the diet, the dromedary is able to drink 100 liters at a time! At the same time, he drinks very quickly.

Reproduction

Puberty in males occurs at the age of 4-6 years, in females - 3 years. Mating in camels usually takes place in winter. Pregnancy in these animals is quite long, from a year to 440 days. One cub is born, which a few hours after birth can already walk on its own. The mother feeds him with milk for up to six months, after which the camel begins to feed on its own.

The diet of these animals consists of desert and steppe plants, including dry and prickly ones. Food enters the stomach almost unchewed.

This is interesting

• Because the two species of camels, Bactrians and Dromedaries, are closely related, their representatives produce viable hybrid offspring, which are called bunk (female Bactrian, male dromedary) or iner (female dromedary, male Bactrian). Hybrid animals have two humps on their backs, but merged together. They are hardy and strong animals. They are able to interbreed with each other, but the offspring often show signs of degeneration, so livestock breeders try to avoid such cases by crossing hybrids with Bactrians or dromedaries.
• It was said above that wild dromedaries do not occur in nature. However, in Australia there are populations of secondarily feral one-humped camels. Being brought here in 1866 in the amount of 100 individuals, they quickly bred. The reason for this was the absence of natural enemies - predators, like rabbits, which also literally flooded the entire continent. Today, their population exceeds 1 million individuals, and since 2008 the authorities have been forced to take measures to limit their numbers by shooting. This is due to the fact that dromedaries are a real disaster for Australia. They cause serious harm to the environment, destroying up to 80% of vegetation in some places. In addition, a herd of camels is able to completely empty small reservoirs, and in a drought, even demolish fences enclosing farms in search of water! Animals devastate water supplies intended for sheep and other domestic animals, disable windmills, and endanger motorists on the roads.
• How long does a camel live? The average lifespan of a desert ship is quite significant, 40-50 years.
• Dromedaries endure cold nights worse than Bactrians. This is because their coat is much shorter.

Instead of a conclusion

The article examined the origin of camels, their classification, and also described the features of the appearance and behavior of the dromedary - this is a one-humped camel.

In addition to the above-described use in the economy, these animals are exploited in an unusual way - they arrange horse races. This sport is popular in the Middle East, Australia, Mongolia. There are special racing breeds and special centers for preparing camels for competitions. Thus, these smart animals have become human assistants not only in work, but also in entertainment.