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Dromedary camels
can reach a height of seven and one-half feet at the shoulder;
weigh from 600 pounds to 1500 pounds and live to be 40 to 50,
years old! |
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These camels
have a caramel colored, woolly coat that often looks shaggy from
seasonal shedding. Males are considerably larger than females
and have an inflatable soft palate which they use to attract females
(it looks like a frog's throat when inflated.) Both sexes have
a single hump on the back. |
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Dromedary camels
can be found in arid regions of the Middle East and northern Africa.
The Dromedary has also been introduced to Australia and Namibia. |
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The Dromedary
camel is capable of drinking 30 gallons (100 leters) of water
in just 10 minutes! |
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Camels store
fat in their hump, not water! In fact baby camels are born without
a hump because the layer of fat does not develop until they eat
solid food. |
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Unlike most
mammals, a healthy camel's body temperature fluctuates throughout
the day from 93°F to 107°F (34°C to 41.7°C
). This fluctuation is important because it allows the camel to
conserve water by not sweating as the environmental temperature
rises. |
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The Dromedary
camel is no longer considered a wild animal! In Africa and Arabia
it is a semi-domesticated animal that free ranges but is under
the control of herders. |
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One of the
reasons a camel is well adapted to live in the desert is because
of its feeding behavior. It selects only a few leaves from each
plant. A camel is also capable of eating parts of the foliage
that other species do not, such as the thorns of the acacia tree. |
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The camel's
nose sits on a cleft upper lip that catches any moisture from
the nostrils and allows its return to the animal as a water conservation
measure. |
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The feet of
the Dromedary have two toes and are splayed so that they act like
"sand shoes". The Dromedary camel is often referred
to as a "Ship of the Desert". |
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The nostrils
of the camel are able to be closed against blowing sand. |
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The Dromedary
camel will spit its stomach contents at the person or thing it
finds annoying! Stand clear and try NOT to be annoying!! |
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Camels exhibit
unusual tolerance for dehydration. Most animals die when 20% of
their body weight is lost. Camels survive a 40% loss of body weight
without serious consequences! |
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These camels
can travel 80 to 120 miles per day carrying a rider! |
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