Two humped bactrian camels mean beauty and fortune in Arabia

In the United Arab Emirates it’s possible to become very rich with camel breeding. All kinds of camels, dromedaries as well as the two humped camels, are part of the Arabian culture: Today, test-tube fertilisation, embryo-transfers, surrogate mothers and cloning are the modern breeding manners.

Camels in the United Arab Emirates represent fortune and beauty. Together with falcons, they are the most important symbols for the Arabian World. In the past, camels were mainly used for riding in the desert, because they are very tough and strong animals and they are used to walk in deep sand with their special hooves. Later, they were domesticated as production animals because of their wool, milk and meat. Until these days they’ve been serving as the Arabian cavalry for the police force and the armed forces. Because of their speed, they are the most important animals for races in the Arabian world.

Camels bring fortune in every meaning

Camels do not only bring fortune in the metaphorical meaning of the word, but also in the commercial one. Today, a good breeded camel can cost more than one million Dollars. First and foremost, the dromedaries are an absolute luxury, whereas the two humped camels cost less: Sometimes more (humps) is less. In the commercial depression, all kinds of value droped, except the price for dromedaries.

Camel breeding – A science on its own

Most of the modern research centres for camel breeding are situated in the United Arab Emirates. Four veterinaries work in the VRC of Abu Dhabi: a scientist and eight engineers are taking care of 1500 camels, mainly dromedaries. In Dubai, sheik Mohammed bin Raschid El Maktum runs another research centre to breed the best race-camels. In 2009, the first cloned camel of the world was born in Dubai. The breeders even reached to create a hybrid of llama and camel, called Cama.

Emancipation in the camel’s world

Ninety percent of the running camels in the races are female camel-mares. They are much faster than their male fellows and are able to run until the age of twenty, what is twice as long as males. For these reasons, the camel breeding in Arabia is focussed on mares. After 13 months, the mare foals are born. Then, the colt usually stands one year with the mother. So it takes a long time to “produce” one of the most expensive animals of Arabia.

Embryo-transfers for working moms

Only the best female camels are used for races. For these reasons, the Arabian science centres started to work with surrogate camel mothers and cloning. The genetic material gets a test-tube fertilisation and then the embryo is engrafted in another female camel until his birth. In this manner, the VRC produces 650 camels per year. These camels are sold for very high prices. A rich Arabian pays up to two millions for one of the best breeded camels.