Fatima Muhammad Saudi Gazette FOR centuries camels, horses and falcons have been a part of Arab tradition. Long a source of pride for Bedouins, the animals are revered for their speed and are routine fixtures in many desert sporting events. In recent years, domesticated animals — mainly dogs and cats — have become common household pets. Owners are known to pay high prices for rare and pure breeds. But for the Kingdom's rich, it's exotic animals and beautiful camels that are high in demand. Abu Rakan has been buying, breeding and selling different kinds of animals in the Kingdom and the Gulf region for decades. While the majority of his customers want animals such as sheep and camels for consumption purposes, there has been a steady increase in demand for exotic animals. Owning big cats, particularly lions, cheetahs and tigers, is considered the ultimate status symbol and his customers readily cough up tens of thousands of riyals for the prized animals that are illegally smuggled into the Kingdom from Africa. “Smugglers bring lion cubs into the Kingdom from Africa. They are put in rice sacks so they can sneak them into Yemen and then into the Kingdom. We buy 20 of them for $20,000 but only one or two survive the journey. Even the ones that arrive here are sick and infected and require medical attention. We don't get any refunds,” he candidly said. Once the cubs are rehabilitated, they are sold for $20,000 each. Exotic animals aren't the only creatures that are highly treasured. Camels, known as ships of the desert, have become increasingly popular as owners groom them to participate in camel beauty pageants. Once a local custom, camel beauty pageants have transformed into multimillion riyal competitions that bring honor and fame to owners of the prettiest dromedary. Abu Nawaf, a camel breeder, said the animals can be separated into two groups — one used for commercial purposes and the other for beauty pageants. Camels in the first group are raised to produce good quality milk and ultimately end up being sacrificed. “These camels sell for anywhere between SR20,000 and SR70,000. The cost of raising a camel has gone up due to an increase in feed prices but people will always want camels no matter what the price is,” he said. Camels used in beauty pageants are selected based on the curve of the humps, length of the neck, height, body structure and general appearance. They sell for anywhere between SR150,000 and SR10 million. Camels aren't the only animals that have their own beauty pageants — Damascene goats whose purity of lineage can be proven are known to attract eager buyers. “Shami or Damascene goats brought from Syria decades ago enjoy a good reputation in the Kingdom just like camels do. There are also beauty pageants for these goats in which they are judged by the shape of their eyes, length of neck, back and tail and most importantly their lineage. Such goats can sell for SR150,000 and sometimes more,” said goat breeder Muhammad Al-Ahdali.
