Wildlife Guide · North Africa & the Sahel & Arabian Peninsula & Middle East
Camel
Camelus dromedarius, C. bactrianus & C. ferus
The desert's living water-tank, fuelled by fat-filled humps.
Image: Source: Global Animal Guide (WARN) — verify license before production
In brief
A camel is a large, hump-backed desert mammal of the genus Camelus. The one-humped dromedary and two-humped Bactrian are domesticated; the wild Bactrian camel is rare. Humps store fat, not water, and remarkable adaptations let camels endure extreme heat and long stretches without drinking.
By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated
A camel is a large, long-legged hoofed mammal superbly adapted to deserts and dry grasslands. There are three living species: the one-humped dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) and the two-humped domestic Bactrian (Camelus bactrianus), both kept by people for thousands of years, plus the rare wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) of the Gobi. Camels are famous for their humps, which store fat rather than water, and for an extraordinary suite of adaptations that let them survive scorching heat, dust storms and many days without drinking. Domesticated camels remain common worldwide, but their wild cousin is among the most endangered large mammals on Earth.
3
Living species (dromedary, domestic Bactrian, wild Bactrian)
~14M
Domestic camels worldwide, ~90% dromedaries
~140 L
Water a thirsty camel can drink in one session
~950
Wild Bactrian camels (Camelus ferus) left
Figures sourced from Camel - Wikipedia, Wild Bactrian camel - Wikipedia, Camelus ferus - IUCN Red List and other references on this page.
Camel: Quick Facts
| Common name | Camel |
|---|---|
| Genus | Camelus (three living species) |
| Diet | Herbivore (grasses, shrubs, thorny desert plants) |
| Humps | Dromedary one; Bactrian two; store fat, not water |
| Shoulder height | Around 1.8-2.1 m |
| Weight | About 300-1,000 kg depending on species |
| Lifespan | Roughly 40-50 years |
| Water intake | Up to ~140 litres in one drinking session |
| Domestic population | About 14 million worldwide |
| Domesticated | Dromedary ~3rd millennium BC; Bactrian ~2500 BC |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | Camelidae |
| Genus | Camelus |
| Species | C. dromedarius, C. bactrianus, C. ferus |
Conservation Status
- IUCN Status
- Domestic dromedary and Bactrian camels are not threatened and number around 14 million worldwide. The wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) is assessed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered and is one of the worlds rarest large mammals and is listed on CITES Appendix I.
- Population
- ~14 million domestic camels; only about 950 wild Bactrian camels
- Trend
- Domestic populations stable or increasing; wild Bactrian camel declining
- Assessed
- Wild Bactrian camel listed Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- CITES
- Wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) listed on CITES Appendix I
The wild Bactrian camel is not recovering. It faces habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting, competition with livestock for scarce water, and loss of genetic integrity through interbreeding with domestic camels.
Key Facts: Camel
- Camels' humps store fat, not water; the fat fuels the body and yields water when metabolised.
- Three species exist: the one-humped dromedary, the two-humped domestic Bactrian, and the wild Bactrian camel.
- Domestic camels are abundant and not threatened, numbering around 14 million worldwide.
- The wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) is Critically Endangered, with only about 950 left in the Gobi region.
- Camels tolerate body-temperature swings, oval blood cells and big water intakes that would kill most mammals.
- People have relied on camels for transport, milk, meat and wool for thousands of years.
Do camels store water in their humps?
No, this is the most enduring camel myth. A camel's hump is a reservoir of fatty tissue, not water. When food and water are scarce, the camel metabolises this fat for energy, and the chemical breakdown also releases some water as a by-product. A well-fed camel's hump stands plump and upright; as the fat is used up the hump shrinks and may flop to one side, recovering once the animal eats well again. The dromedary carries one hump and the Bactrian two. Camels do drink prodigiously when water is available, taking in up to around 140 litres in a single long session, but that water is absorbed into the bloodstream and tissues rather than stored in the hump. Their oval-shaped red blood cells keep flowing even when the animal is severely dehydrated and can swell dramatically on rehydration without bursting. Combined with concentrated urine, dry dung and the ability to tolerate large losses of body water, these traits let a dromedary go many days, sometimes more than a week, between drinks.
How do camels survive desert heat?
Camels are walking masterclasses in heat management. Rather than sweating constantly to stay at a fixed temperature, a camel lets its body temperature drift across the day, from around 34°C at dawn to about 40°C by late afternoon, only sweating once it passes that upper limit. This saves precious water. Thick hair on the back shades the skin while leaving the belly relatively bare so heat can escape, and camels often sit facing the sun to reduce the surface exposed to it. Long, double-rowed eyelashes and slit-like, closable nostrils keep out blowing sand, and a third eyelid sweeps the eye clear. Broad, two-toed feet spread under the animal's weight to stop it sinking into soft sand or snow. Tough lips and a leathery mouth let camels browse thorny, salty desert plants that other grazers avoid. Bactrian camels add a thick winter coat, shed in ragged clumps each spring, to survive the bitter cold of the Central Asian steppe and Gobi, showing how flexible the camel body plan can be.
What is the difference between a dromedary and a Bactrian camel?
The quickest tell is the humps: the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one, while both Bactrian species (Camelus bactrianus and the wild Camelus ferus) have two. A handy memory aid is that a sideways 'D' has one bump and a sideways 'B' has two. The dromedary is the slender, short-coated camel of hot deserts such as the Sahara, Arabian Peninsula and South Asia, and it makes up roughly nine in ten of the world's camels. The Bactrian is stockier, with longer, shaggier hair suited to the cold deserts and mountains of Central Asia and Mongolia. Dromedaries no longer exist as a truly wild population, though large feral herds roam Australia after being introduced in the 1800s. Domestic Bactrians are kept across Central Asia, but their wild relative, Camelus ferus, is now recognised as a separate species and survives only in a few remote pockets of the Gobi. The two domestic species can interbreed and produce fertile hybrids, which has become a serious threat to the genetic integrity of the dwindling wild population.
How long have people kept camels?
Camels are among the most important domestic animals of the arid world. Dromedaries were probably domesticated in the South Arabian or Somali region during the 3rd millennium BC, and Bactrian camels in Central Asia by around 2500 BC. For thousands of years they have carried people and goods across deserts that would defeat horses or oxen, earning the nickname 'ships of the desert', and they remain central to caravan trade, herding cultures and modern racing in many regions. Beyond transport, camels provide nutritious milk, meat, hair for textiles and dung for fuel, supporting communities where little else can be farmed. Today around 14 million domestic camels live across the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, the Middle East and South and Central Asia, and populations are generally stable or rising. This long partnership is exactly why the wild Bactrian camel matters so much: it is the last glimpse of the camel as a free-living wild animal, and the ancestor stock from which much of this resilience came.
Dromedary vs Bactrian camel
| Feature | Dromedary (C. dromedarius) | Bactrian (C. bactrianus / C. ferus) |
|---|---|---|
| Humps | One | Two |
| Coat | Short, fine | Long and shaggy |
| Climate | Hot deserts | Cold deserts and steppe |
| Main range | N Africa, Arabia, South Asia | Central Asia, Mongolia, NW China |
| Status | Domesticated, common; no wild population | Domestic common; wild C. ferus Endangered |
| Share of camels | About 90% | About 10% |
What WARN Does
WARN does not run field projects specifically for camels, which live mainly outside the countries where WARN and its partners work. This guide is part of WARN's free educational work, helping people understand the animals they share the planet with. The threats facing the wild Bactrian camel, habitat loss, fragmentation and pressure on scarce water and grazing, are the same forces that endanger many animals WARN does help protect, which is why public understanding matters.
If you value clear, science-based wildlife guides like this, a small gift helps WARN keep caring for vulnerable animals and sharing free knowledge.
How does the camel compare?
Camel: Frequently Asked Questions
Do camels really store water in their humps?
How long can a camel go without water?
What is the difference between a dromedary and a Bactrian camel?
Are camels endangered?
What do camels eat?
How long do camels live?
Where do camels live?
Are camels dangerous?
How big is a camel?
Sources & References
Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.
Terms used on this page
Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.
Explore More Species
Every animal in our network faces a crisis. Learn about the others.
View all wildlife guides