A one-humped dromedary walking in the Thar Desert in India.

Dromedary in the Thar Desert, India.

Creator: Clément Bardot

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Species record

Dromedary

Camelus dromedarius

Explore the Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

The Dromedary is the domesticated one-humped camel, managed across arid parts of North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Australia. Its hump stores fat, and its body is adapted to heat, dry air, and long periods between drinks. Dromedaries provide transport, milk, meat, fiber, and work; populations outside the historic range are introduced or managed.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Chordates
  3. Subphylum: Vertebrates
  4. Class: Mammals
  5. Order: Even-toed ungulates
  6. Family: Camelidae
  7. Genus: Camelus
  8. Species: Camelus dromedarius

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
deserts, dry rangelands, farms
Selected regions
Asia, Africa, Oceania
Selected countries
Saudi Arabia, Somalia, India, Australia

Conservation status

The Ark records: Not evaluated.

Did you know?

  • A dromedary stores fat in its hump, not water.
  • Long eyelashes and closable nostrils help protect its eyes and nose from blowing sand.

More images

A dromedary with its camel driver at the end of the day.

Dromedary and its camel driver.

Creator: Skander zarrad

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Sources and attribution