Would you like one hump or two?

There are two types of camels, dromedaries and Bactrians. The dromedary is a single humped camel. A Bactrian has two humps. There is an easy way to remember which name goes with which camel. The “D” in Dromedary has a single hump like the camel it represents. The “B” in Bactrian has two humps, and a Bactrian is a two humped camel.

Dromedaries are usually found in desert environments and tend to have longer legs and shorter hair. Bactrians are big stocky camels, often with long hair. They are usually found at higher elevations.

For our expedition, we will be buying dromedaries like the camel in the photo at the left. The dromedary is more common than the Bactrian. Some researchers think this is because it is easier to saddle and ride a dromedary. This encouraged breeders to favor the dromedary over the Bactrian, except at higher elevations where Bactrians are better adapted to the cold. The camel is predominantly a domesticated animal. Wild herds of Bactrians can only be found in the depths of Tibet. Dromedaries, imported to Australia in the 18th century, escaped to the outback where they now roam free.

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