Camel (genus Camelus)

Mammal Domesticated Desert-adapted

Overview

Camels (genus Camelus) are large, long-legged mammals famous for their humps and their ability to thrive in hot, dry environments. Two domesticated species dominate: the one-humped dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) and the two-humped Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus). The animal shown here is the dromedary.

Camels have been working partners of people for thousands of years, providing transport, milk, meat, fibre, and labour across desert regions. This profile treats them primarily as domestic animals, which is how the great majority of camels exist today.

Note on wild camels: the only truly wild camel species is the wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus), a separate species that survives in small numbers in remote parts of Asia and is considered critically endangered. Domestic dromedaries and Bactrians are not assessed in the same way; verify any conservation claim at iucnredlist.org.

Dromedary vs Bactrian

Classification

Camels belong to the family Camelidae, which also includes the South American llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas — their close relatives in a different part of the world.

Desert Adaptations

Camels are renowned for coping with heat and scarcity. The hump stores fat that can be metabolised for energy; camels can tolerate considerable water loss and then rehydrate rapidly when water is available; and features such as thick eyelashes, closable nostrils, and tough mouths help them deal with blowing sand and coarse, thorny plants. Their broad, padded feet spread weight on soft ground.

Diet & Feeding

Camels are herbivores that browse and graze on a wide range of desert plants, including dry grasses and thorny shrubs. Their digestive system is well suited to extracting nutrients from low-quality, fibrous forage, which lets them survive where richer feed is unavailable.

Behavior & Use by People

Domestic camels are typically kept in herds and are known for endurance under load over long distances. They are used for riding, pack transport, and as a source of milk and other products in many arid regions. Camels communicate with a range of vocalisations and body postures and can be strong-willed working animals.

Appearance & Recognition

The dromedary is recognised by its single hump, long curved neck, and long legs, with a coat ranging from sandy to brown. The Bactrian camel is stockier with two humps and, in cold seasons, a much thicker coat. The number of humps is the quickest way to tell the two domestic species apart.

Human Interaction

Camels remain economically and culturally important across desert societies. Because most camels are domestic livestock rather than wild animals, their management relates to animal husbandry and agriculture, while conservation concern centres on the separate wild Bactrian camel.

More photos of the camel