Dromedary Camel

Camelus dromedarius

Easy

The **Dromedary Camel** (*Camelus dromedarius*) is a large Afro-Asiatic ungulate featured in the Arid Animal Pack DLC for *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population In Wild:** Unknown

The dromedary camel (or Camelus dromedarius) is a camelid living in North Africa, the Middle East, and Western Asia. It has also been introduced to European countries and Australia. Dromedaries are usually sandy brown, tan, or cream in color, but may also have dark or pied coloration. They have a single hump on their back, long legs, and a long neck. The dromedary camel has a domed head with small, rounded ears, large eyes with long lashes, and large, protuberant lips. Males are larger and heavier than females, spanning 8.2ft to 11.2ft in length, 5.9ft to 6.6ft in shoulder height, and 880lb to 1320lb in weight. Female dromedaries stand 5.6ft to 6.2ft at the shoulder, are 7.2ft to 9.8ft long, and weigh between 660lb and 1190lb.

As a domesticated species, the dromedary camel is not endangered and the population remains stable. The dromedary has been used and relied upon by humans for its strength and endurance for millennia. It has played an essential part in the transportation of goods. In agriculture, this species is used to assist with ploughing, and its milk and meat are a valuable food source.

### Social

Camels are social animals. They live in harem groups in the wild, with a dominant male, several females and their offspring. The dominant male leads the herd in their migrations. Bachelor males live solitarily or in bachelor herds until they acquire their own harem of females.

### Reproduction

Breeding season in dromedary camels varies geographically and may be in fall and winter, or early spring. During mating season, males begin showing rutting behaviors to attract females. For bachelor males, this is how they begin to establish their own harems. In males who already have a harem, the rut serves to advertise his readiness to mate to his group. Rutting behaviors include using the tail to spread urine over their back, and extruding an area of the soft palate which swells to a large size, appearing like a swollen tongue. The male dromedary uses this to make gurgling calls. During the rut, the male also foams at the mouth and is likely to be aggressive towards rival males. With head bobbing displays, males will advertise their size and attempt to appear taller, and, as an escalation they may barge each other and bite the rival's legs and head. A male approaching a female attempts to initiate mating by biting her rear and hump to get her to sit down. If she complies, he will crouch behind her and mate with her, with copulation lasting between 7 and 35 minutes.

After a pregnancy of 15 months, the female gives birth to a single calf. It will nurse from its mother for 3 months, before beginning to eat solid food. Weaning is complete between 1 and 2 years old. Juvenile camels remain in their natal herd until they approach sexual maturity.

Dromedary camels reach sexual maturity at around 5 years old, at which point males leave the group to become solitary or join a bachelor herd, and females leave to search for a male whose harem she can join.

## Animal Care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Grazing Ball Feeder · Hanging Grazer Feeder · Large Barrel Feeder · Melon Feeder
Grab Ball · Herb Scent Marker · Ice Block · Rubbing Pillar · Scots Pine/Tamarind Scratching Tree

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Trivia

* The dromedary camel has 3 stomachs that help it digest tough vegetation.
* The dromedary camel has a fluctuating internal body temperature that can go from 93.2°F to 105.8°F which helps them deal with extreme heat.
* Dromedary camel mating is a very clumsy affair and often unsuccessful, so domestic dromedary camels are often assisted in mating logistics by their handlers.
* Dromedary camels only eat a few leaves from each of the plants they forage on. This means plants remain in good condition and are able to recover, so the camels do not reduce their foraging opportunities.
* The dromedary camel can lose 30% of its bodyweight in water during extended dry spells. If an opportunity arises to restock water reserves, it can drink 100 liters of water in 10 minutes.

### Other Trivia

* The Dromedary Camel is the third Domesticated animal added to Planet Zoo, the other two being the Bactrian Camel and the Llama
* It is the third animal to use the spitting behavior, the others being the Bactrian Camel and the Llama