Category: Race camels

Country: Oman

Home tract: Thoroughbred race camel that descended from the Murrah camels in the Sultanate of Oman.

Morphological characters

Body: Medium sized, beautiful

Body coat: Fine and supple skin; light colored

Head: Small

Eyes: Alert

Ears: Small

Neck: Fine and supple neck that is joined low down to the trunk.

Quarters: Long and fine shoulders; well muscled quarters

Chest: Very deep chest with well sprung ribs right to the back and terminating not far from pelvic bone

Legs: Straight and fairly close forelegs; straight and well spaced hindlegs; medium feet

Morphometric traits

Height at withers: 185-200 cm

Remarks: They have easy and tireless pace. They are also used in the police force in many countries. They are very famous race camels in the Sahara. The colonial French troops formed the Meharist corp. They used the Mehari camels for riding troop and divided them into three categories according to height at withers. Camels that were 190-200 cm high were used by officers, while those of 185 cm high, were used by ranks and files. Any other camels with less but with a minimum of 180 cm were used as pack animals.

References

1. Wardeh M.F., 2004, “Classification of the dromedary camels,” Journal of Camel Science; 1: 1-7. [Web Reference]
2. Wilson R.T., 1984, “The camel,” Longman. London and New York.