A LITTLE WILDLIFE PERSPECTIVE

How tall is a dromedary camel?

Compare your height to a dromedary camel.

A male dromedary is about 1.8–2 m at the shoulder, with females around 10 cm shorter. The head and hump sit above the shoulders.

A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE

Dromedary camel
next to the average.

Average U.S. adults, side by side.

Average man (U.S.): 5 ft 8.9 in. Dromedary camel: 8 ft 2.4 in. Average woman (U.S.): 5 ft 3.5 in0′ 0″1′ 0″2′ 0″3′ 0″4′ 0″5′ 0″6′ 0″7′ 0″8′ 0″
  • Average man (U.S.)5 ft 8.9 in
  • Dromedary camel8 ft 2.4 in
  • Average woman (U.S.)5 ft 3.5 in

How do you measure up?

Enter your height to stand beside a dromedary camel.

Side by side

Dromedary camel: 8 ft 2.4 in. Your place: Add your height0′ 0″1′ 0″2′ 0″3′ 0″4′ 0″5′ 0″6′ 0″7′ 0″8′ 0″
  • Dromedary camel8 ft 2.4 in
  • Your placeAdd your height
Add your height to see the difference.

The animal is an example adult in the pose shown. Its full outline is scaled to 250 cm. Shoulder height and body length are explained below.

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GET TO KNOW THE ANIMAL

Small facts. Big discoveries.

Dromedary camel · Camelus dromedarius

A camel’s hump stores fat, not drinking water. The dromedary’s long legs and broad, padded feet help it travel across hot, sandy ground.

A dromedary can let its body temperature rise and fall over the day, reducing the need to lose water through sweating. When water becomes available it can drink a large amount quickly, an adaptation that complements its sand-resistant nostrils and padded feet.

  • Long eyelashes help keep blowing sand away from its eyes.
  • A dromedary can close its nostrils against sand.

How big do adults get?

Male
1.8–2 m at the shoulder
Female
About 10 cm shorter than males

These measurements are for the one-humped dromedary, not the two-humped Bactrian camel. Full silhouette height includes the raised neck and head.

Height, length, or weight?

Standing height runs from the ground to the top of the animal. Shoulder height stops at the top of the shoulders. Length runs along the body; it is not how tall an animal stands. Weight tells us how heavy it is.

Explore the science: Animal Diversity Web · University of Michigan