The heavy fur on top of the hump, as well as the fat in the hump, help protect the body from the harsh sun. Gestation is 390-410 days. Usually one young, which is able to move about freely by the end of the first day. The female camel has 2 teats and will nurse her offspring for more than one year. Full maturity at 5 years.
Copulation takes place lying down.
The life span may be 50 years. Dromedary camels are important as beasts of burden but are also valued for their meat, wool, and milk. The milk produced by camels is often the main source of nourishment for the desert nomads of the western Sahara. White camels are a rare, prized, and valuable possession. The hump is made of stored fat from the food obtained in plentiful times.