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The Arabian Camel, the 'one-humped' dromedary• Bedouin Name: Ata Allah or God's gift • Scientific Name: Camelus dromedarius • Life Span: 40 years • Weight: Up to 1500 lbs • Speed: 3 mph, walking; racing camels can reach 12 mph at a gallop. • Behavior: Unpredictable at best, but patient and intelligent • The Hump: A mound of fatty tissue which the camel uses to sustain itself when food is hard to find. If the camel draws too much fat, the mound shrinks and becomes flabby, toppling over and hanging down the camel's side. • Body Temperature: Camels perspire very little. Humans start to sweat when the air temperature rises above the normal body temperature of 98°F but the camel can raise its body temperature as much as 11-14.5°F (6-8°C) before perspiring, thereby limiting loss of body fluids. • Ears: Lined with fur to filter out sand and dust that may blow into the ear canal. • Eyes: Shielded from the desert sun by thick, bushy eyebrows and framed by a double row of long curly eyelashes that keep out sand and dust. • Feet: Broad, flat, leathery pads that spread when the camel places its foot on the ground, thereby preventing the animal from sinking into the sand. • Food: Camels can go 5-7 days with little or no food and water, and can lose a quarter of their body weight without impairing their normal functions. They gulp down their food without chewing it first, regurgitating it later to be chewed in cud form. • Water: Camels need very little water if their regular diet includes moisture-rich pasture. However, if they need to replenish reserves, they can drink as much as 21 gallons in ten minutes. • Hair: All camels molt in spring and grow a new coat by autumn. Their hair is used world-wide to make coats and artists' brushes. • Meat: The best camel meat comes from young males and is considered a delicacy in the Arabian diet.
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