Camel - Biology

Biology

The average life expectancy of a camel is 40 to 50 years. A fully grown adult camel stands 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) at the shoulder and 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) at the hump. The hump rises about 75 cm (30 in) out of its body. Camels can run at up to 65 km/h (40 mph) in short bursts and sustain speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph).

The male dromedary camel has in its neck an unusual organ called a dulla, a large, inflatable sac he extrudes from his mouth when in rut, to assert dominance and attract females. It resembles a long, swollen, pink tongue hanging out of the side of its mouth.

Camels mate by having both male and female sitting on the ground, with the male mounting from behind. See Camels mating.

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