A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. The two surviving species of camel are the dromedary, or one-humped camel, which inhabits the Middle East and the Horn of Africa; and the bactrian, or two-humped camel, which inhabits Central Asia. Both species have been domesticated; they provide milk, meat, hair for textiles or goods such as felted pouches, and are working animals with tasks ranging from human transport to bearing loads.
The term "camel" is derived via Latin and Greek from Hebrew or Phoenician gāmāl. The Hebrew meaning of the word gāmāl is derived from the verb root g.m.l, meaning stopping, weaning, going without; or repaying in kind. This refers to its ability to go without food or water, as well as the increased ability of service the animal provides when being properly cared for.
"Camel" is also used more broadly to describe any of the six camel-like mammals in the family Camelidae: the two true camels: the dromedary and bactrian, and the four South American camelids: the llama and alpaca are called "New World camels", while the guanaco and vicuña are called "South American camels".
Biology
The average life expectancy of a camel is 40 to 50 years. A full-grown adult camel stands at the shoulder and at the hump. Camels can run at up to in short bursts and sustain speeds of up to . Bactrian camels weigh and dromedaries .
The male dromedary camel has in its throat an 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. The male usually ejaculates three or four times within a single mating session.
Ecological and behavioral adaptations
Camels do not directly store water in their humps as was once commonly...