Camel Walking Video How Does a Camel Walk?

The camel has long legs with large two-toed feet with soft, thick and flexible footpads. These two-toed feet enable the camel to walk on soft sand and gravel without sinking. However, these feet provide little traction on slippery and muddy surfaces. Also, the camel walks on its toes and does not touch the ground with its wrist, palm, ankle, or heel. This style of walking is similar to the way cats and dogs walk. Walking on one's toes is called a digitigrade stance.

The camel walks by moving both legs on one side of its body simultaneously. For example, it lifts both left legs, moves them forward, puts them down and then repeats the same process with its right legs. This rather unusual gait is referred to as 'pacing', causes the camel's body to rock from side to side as it walks.

Camel - Ship of the Desert

The rocking motion of the camel's body together with the fact that the camel usually lives in the dessert which looks like a sea of sand is the reason the camel is sometimes called the 'ship of the desert'.

The walking speed of a camel is about 5kph (3mph). Its stride is long and slow, with its body supported for much of each stride on the grounded legs on one side of the body. A camel can walk approximately 32km (20 miles) a day. It can walk for long periods without food or water.

Camels can run for extended periods at 40kph (25mph) and can sprint at 67kph (42mph) for short periods.

Here is another excellent article on how a camel walks.