If you ever saw a camel during the winter months, most likely it had some organ hanging down its mouth. You might have thought it was an inflated tongue, a heart, or even a stomach camel regurgitated to cool down. It’s none of those. The inflated organ coming out of the camel’s mouth is called a dulla.

Camel dulla (dulaa or gulaa) is an inflatable pink sac hanging from a side of the camel’s mouth, usually seen in male dromedary camels.

Both male and female camels have it; although it is more developed in adult males. No other animal has such an inflatable sac, not even the camel’s close relatives, llamas and alpacas.

The camel’s dulla has an average length of 6.3 in (16 cm); some claim that it can reach almost 10 inches (25 cm).

The dulla of a camel is attached to the soft palate, the soft tissue located in the back part of the mouth. It is free on its other end. The free part lays close to the root of the tongue.

When a camel breathes in, the muscles of the tongue retract the dulla towards the back of the mouth. When the camel is done projecting the organ outside, it will reduce the pressure, collapse the dulla, and get it back to its original position.

Dulla will start forming around the 3rd month in camel embryos.

Camel’s dulla serves a double function, to assert superiority over other males and win over the female camels. It is a form of sexual behavior the male expresses during a rutting season.

More Info: thedailywildlife.com