Cairo: Specialists from several countries are gathering today (Wednesday) in the Saudi capital for a conference on setting rules for protection and ensuring safety for camels, a local newspaper has reported.
Experts from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Sudan, the US and Germany will compare scientific and technical notes on curbing effects of cosmetic surgery on camels and define the tampering concept in the sector, news portal Sabq said.
The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture will elaborate on regulations for animal care in effect in the kingdom.
Moreover, the head of a veterinary committee at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, a major event in the kingdom, will highlight measures adopted to expose and tackle malpractices in dealing with camels including cosmetic procedures.
The Riyadh conference, organised by the Saudi Camel Club, will produce a set of recommendations that will be adopted as rules for the countries interested in the camel sector and organising related festivals.
The 105-member International Camel Organisation is participating in the event.
Camels are a popular animal closely linked to heritage in Saudi Arabia.
The animal has long been dubbed as the “ship of the desert”, being the lifeline for desert dwellers.
In recent years, the camel business has remarkably grown in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia annually hosts the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, the world’s such biggest pageant.
There are around 1.8 million camels with a market value of over SR50 billion in Saudi Arabia, according to official figures.
