Camels

The cries of camel herder Hamad al-Marri mean nothing to the untrained ear, but his animals respond instantly, gathering behind him to walk together across the Saudi desert.

Thousands of people have come together to watch a camel wrestling festival held in the Aegean province of Aydın's Nazilli district.

More than 180 camels, their owners and nearly 20,000 spectators from the neighboring provinces and towns attended the event which turned into a picnic-style party after some of the visitors set up their own barbeques and tables.

Thousands of people came together to watch a camel wrestling festival held after 29 years of hiatus in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya.

Despite the chilling weather, more than 100 camels, their owners and spectators from the neighboring provinces and towns attended the event.

More than 20,000 people came together to watch the 40th Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival held on Jan. 18 in the eponymous town in Turkey's Aegean province of İzmir, despite criticism from animal rights activists who claim that the big ruminants were abused and injured during the event.

Camels have been of critical importance in Turkey in centuries past, but the animals are now largely consigned to use in wrestling competitions or touristic purposes. Now, however, the Antalya Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate has initiated work about camel culture and the camel business in preparation for the publishing of a book. 

Camel wrestling, a Yörük tradition, is organized in January and February every year in many Aegean provinces. Authorities permit the organizations of such events under the condition that they are organized with folkloric purposes and that the camels are not harmed. 

Bodrum's camels are preparing for the traditional camel wrestling competitions after Dec 14, the coldest time of the year in the regionCamels in the western province of Mu?la's Bodrum district have been preparing for traditional camel wrestling festivities, which are organized in the district in the winter months. This preparation process is known as "havutlama."