How Fast Can a Camel Go?

My picture today is a bauble or ball showing three camels who seem to be enjoying their trek across the sand dunes.  .

A pack camel can walk about 20 - 25 miles a day.  A camel usually averages about 2 to 3 miles an hour when simply walking.  If trotting, their speed is 9 to 10 mph and a gentle jog is 16 mph.  

Camel racing clubs exist in several countries in the Arabian peninsula.  I found the Kuwait Camel Racing Club, The Dubai Camel Racing Club and Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack in Qatar.  

The Dubai Camel Racing Club aims to preserve the rich Arab heritage of the United Arab Emirates and celebrate its values represented in the purebred Arab camel racing. 

The Camel Racetrack in Qatar states on its website that the people of Qatar and the Gulf region in general remain linked to camels and the sport of camel racing because of the importance of camels in their lives. Camels represent an authentic heritage and a link to the ancient past in which camels were the most important means of transportation and movement.

Camels can be pretty fast runners.  At the beginning of races, camels have been clocked upwards of 40 mph.  Their pace slows as the race progresses.  The average speed of a racing camel is about 25 mph.  One racetrack in Dubai is 5 miles long.  

Do they get tired?  Do they sleep?  Yes, camels do sleep.  They can sleep standing up which helps keep them safe from predators.  Camels sleep about six hours per night.  They are able to withstand major temperature changes from the sweltering heat of the day to the cold desert nights.  Wild camels rest during the hot day and roam for food at night.  

# living life abundantly    # published author