Over short distances of upto 10km an animal that has been trained for this can develop average speeds of around 35km per hour with the first km being covered at around 40km per hour. The camel moves at four speeds, but its speed reduces as the distance increases. During the first kilometre of a race, a champion class camel is capable of reaching 65km an hour. However, its speed will gradually reduce. A female camel can maintain a steady speed of upto 40km an hour, and has a better chance of winning a race.
Camels are excellent for patrolling perimeter fences in semi-arid areas.
Several countries use them for security work. There are three basic types available in East Africa. The first, is the big boned, heavily built muscular animal referred to as a Somali, more of a load carrier than a racer. Big, slow, consumes a lot of food, used to flat sandy areas. Animals range around 550kgs weight and much higher.