Dromedary
Scientific name: Camelus dromedarius Linnaeus, 1758
Overview
The dromedary, also known as the dromedary camel, Arabian camel and one-humped camel, is a large camel of the genus Camelus with one hump on its back. It is the tallest of the three camel species; adult males stand 1.8–2.4 m (5.9–7.9 ft) at the shoulder, while females are 1.7–1.9 m (5.6–6.2 ft) tall. Males typically weigh between 400 and 690 kg, and females weigh between 300 and 540 kg . The dromedary's distinctive features include its long, curved neck, narrow chest, a single hump, and long hairs on the throat, shoulders, and hump. The coat is generally a shade of brown. The hump is 20 cm (7.9 in) tall or more, and is made of fat bound together by fibrous tissue.
From the Wikipedia article “Dromedary”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Size and lifespan
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Birth weight | 37 kg |
| Adult weight (male) | 500 kg |
| Adult weight (female) | 450 kg |
Source: Wikidata, citing “Camelus dromedarius”, scientific article published on 12 April 1991.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Africa; Australia; Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China); Southern Asia.
Common names
Also known in English as Dromedary Camel, One-humped Camel.
Names in other languages (13)
- Arabic
- جمل عربي
- Chinese
- 單峰駱駝
- French
- dromadaire
- German
- Dromedar, Einhöckriges Kamel
- Hindi
- ऊँट
- Indonesian
- Unta Arab
- Japanese
- ヒトコブラクダ
- Persian
- شتر یککوهانه
- Portuguese
- dromedário
- Russian
- одногорбый верблюд
- Spanish
- dromedario
- Turkish
- tek hörgüçlü deve
- Urdu
- عربی اونٹ
Related animals
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — measurements, names in other languages. Q71516, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Dromedary”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Garrondo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026