How Long Can a Camel Go Without Water?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 12, 2023

When temperatures rise above 110 degrees Fahrenheit, camels can survive for about five days without drinking water. During the winter, camels can survive six or seven months without drinking water. During that time, they may obtain moisture from plants they consume.

Camels do not store water in their humps. The humps are filled with fat from which camels can draw energy when the supply of food and water is low. The longer camels go without eating or drinking, the more their humps deflate. Once they begin eating and drinking again, the humps firm up within a matter of days. Camels can lose close to 40 percent of their body fluid weight without suffering fatal effects.