How long can a camel go without water?
A camel can go about one to two weeks without drinking in hot weather, and much longer in cooler seasons when it gets moisture from plants. Then it can drink over 100 liters in minutes.
Camels are built to save water. Their kidneys produce very concentrated urine, their droppings are dry and they sweat very little. Their body temperature can rise by about 6 degrees Celsius during the day before they start sweating, then drop at night, which saves a lot of water.
Camels can lose up to about 25 to 30 percent of their body weight in water and survive, while most mammals would die after losing about 15 percent. Their oval-shaped red blood cells keep flowing even when the blood thickens from dehydration, and they can swell without bursting when the camel drinks a lot quickly.
Drinking it all back
A very thirsty camel can drink more than 100 liters of water in about 10 minutes. In winter, when desert plants contain more moisture, camels may go months without drinking at all, getting what they need from their food.
Did You Know?
Camel milk is an important food in many desert regions and contains more vitamin C than cow's milk.